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Bargain Bin: NFL Fantasy Football Sleepers (Week 7)

no@spam.com (Patrick Williams) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:00:00 EDT

In last weeks Bargain Bin, I suggested six guys who could swing a game for you. Four of those guys were homeruns with fantasy starter performances, one was a solid contribution. One was a minimal contribution, but hey, you can’t win em’ all.

This weeks Bin doesn't have the same potential as last weeks, although some picks from last week are still out there and are good plays against this week. Good luck in your leagues.

Last Weeks Results

Steve Breaston, 8 rec. 102 yards, TD

Outlook: Great

As long as Boldin is out, Breaston is a great play at WR. Even when Boldin returns he’s a nice backup option, as he did a lot of damage with both Boldin and Fitzgerald on the field.

Correll Buckhalter, 178 total yards, TD

Outlook: Poor

The Eagles have a bye this week and expect Westbrook to be back in the starting lineup when they suit up to play next week.

Kyle Orton, 286 yards, TD

Outlook: Average

Orton plays the Vikings this week and even though he’s playing well, I’m not quite ready to put him in the company of the good QBs in this league. I think he will have some more good games, but don’t be surprised if he has an average game this week.

Chad Pennington, 284 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT

Outlook: Average

The Dolphins play the Ravens this week who will probably be pissed off after getting torched through the air by the Colts last week. Pennington is one of the most accurate QBs in the league, but I don’t think he’ll be sensational this week.

Jason Campbell, 208 yards, 0 TDs.

Outlook: Good

Redskins play the Browns this week and so long as Campbell avoids Eric “Neon Deion” Wright, he should have a decent performance. Campbell is solid for 8-15 points in most leagues this week.

Tim Hightower, 49 total yards

Outlook: Good

Edgerrin James will give way to Hightower as the starter sometime this year. Exactly when is what you’re gambling on, but I’m guessing in the next 4-5 weeks. At the very least Hightower will slowly steal carries away and add to his impressive TD numbers. (5 TDs in 6 games)

This Week’s Red Dot Sales

Wide Receivers

Eddie Royal, Denver Broncos, 85% owned

IF you can find this guy, he is a good play against the Patriots. Odds are the Broncos will struggle running against the Patriots D and will fair better through the air with the return of Royal.

Kevin Walter, Houston Texans, 54% owned

Andre Johnson is getting all the press, but Walter leads the Texans in touchdown receptions with 3 TDs. They’re playing the Lions this week with the Texans offense still steaming from the flaming hot performance against a pretty decent Dolphins D. Walter is likely good for a TD and 70+ yards.

Running Backs

Michael Pittman, Denver Broncos, 51% owned

Shanahan recently announced Pittman as his starter even when Selvin Young returns from a groin injury. Pittman had an explosive game against a stout Jags defense. I wouldn't mortgage the farm to pick him up, as the Broncos are playing a tough Pats defense, but odds are he will start and get the lion’s share of carries if the Broncos commit to running the ball.

Warrick Dunn, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 56% owned

There is danger in this play because Gruden is extremely unpredictable; he could decide to pass 80 times with Jeff Garcia, or run the Wildcat with Earnest Graham and Joey Galloway. However, last week Dunn had a huge game against the Panthers with Graham playing fullback because of injuries. This week they play the Seahawks and their horrid run defense. Someone is going to have a big game, just don’t get mad at me if its Graham and not Dunn. Pick Dunn up only if you’re desperate for a back.

Quarterbacks

Trent Edwards, Buffalo Bills, 48% owned

Coming off a concussion and a bye week, why play Trent Edwards? Because they’re playing the Chargers who’s overaggressive secondary is bound to give up at least one big play to Bills deep threat Lee Evans. Plainly put, the Chargers D is overrated and could potentially give up a lot of points to the Bills. Worst case you’re looking at 200 yards 1 TD and 1 INT for Edwards who doesn’t turn it over that often. (2 INTs on the year)

Kyle Orton, Chicago Bears, 68% owned

Orton is still out there in a lot of leagues for people who didn’t pick him up last week. He is not the best play you could have this week against a stingy Vikings D, but he could be a solid investment for later this year.

My Record:

4-1-1

(numbers from left to right, represent, picks perform better than expected, picks who perform as projected, picks who perform below expectations)

Bargain Bin: NFL Fantasy Football (Week 6)

no@spam.com (Patrick Williams) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Since my fantasy football teams are doing so well (hold the applause) I figured I'd share the wealth and provide some expertise to those of you out there who could use some sleepers. Two players who have paid huge dividends for me:

Roddy White, WR, Atlanta Falcons

By no means considered a top flight receiver this year before the season, he's third in the league in yards and has become Matt Ryan's favorite target.

Antoine Winfield, CB, Minnesota Vikings

If you're in a league with defensive positions and Winfield is still available, you need to pick him up immediately. 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 INT, 2 sacks, and 2 TDs is a fantasy stat line Chad Ocho Cinco would kill for right now.

On to the true sleepers this week. Whether you're in a pinch at a certain position dealing with byes, here's a list of players at each skill position that could get you 10 points this week with the potential to swing a game for you:

Quarterbacks:

Kyle Orton, QB, Chicago Bears

Had a breakout game last week (over 300 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs) and played well against the Eagles the week before. (3 TDs) The better he plays it seems Lovie Smith gains a little more confidence and opens the playbook up a little more. The Bears play the Falcons this week who sport the 22nd ranked pass defense and the 23rd ranked total defense, making Orton a solid play. He's 54% owned so he's still out there in alot of leagues.

Jason Campbell, QB, Washington Redskins

He's 83% owned, so if he's out there in your league run and grab him. Not only has he not thrown a pick this year, but the Skins are on cruise control for the next couple of weeks with horrible Rams defense coming into town this week followed by the Browns and Lions.

Chad Pennington, QB, Miami Dolphins

They're playing the Texans and you can at least count on Pennington being accurate and limiting his turnovers. If only they would stop running Wildcat in the red zone, he might get TDs. I would only advise playing Pennington if you're having tough times finding a starter this week.

Running Backs

Correll Buckhalter, RB, Philadelphia Eagles (44% owned)

Westbrook is officially out this week and the Eagles have been getting more and more criticism for no running the ball. Reggie Brown is also out, although some expect Kevin Curtis to play. They've lost two straight and this may be the week Reid gives in and actually tries to run the ball. He's good for a TD this week, at worst on a screen. We could get lucky and get 70+ yards out of him and 2 TDs against a 49ers D giving up 128 yards a game, good for 23rd in the league.

Tim Hightower, RB, Arizona Cardinals (39% owned)

He's Edgerrin James' backup, but he's got 5 TDs in 5 games. They've got the Cowgirls this week who's overrated defense is primed to put the Cowboys in another shootout against the Cards high powered offense. The winner of this game will score 30+ points and you can put Hightower down for a TD minimum. James got 21 carries for 57 yards last week, so don't be suprised if Hightower steals some carries this week from old man Edge.

Wide Receiver

Steve Breaston, WR, Arizona Cardinals (40% owned)

Boldin is out indefinitely and Breaston has almost 200 receiving yards in the last two games. Pick him up if you need a wideout, if just for this week against a beat up Cowboys secondary. (Newman is out and Pacman is back to breaking laws again)

Good luck this week ladies and gents.

Live NBA Draft 08 Coverage

no@spam.com (Patrick Williams) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Pre-Draft trades resulted in the Bucks acquiring Richard Jefferson for Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons (really?) and Jermaine O'Neal heading out to Toronto for TJ Ford, Steven A. Smith's favorite center Rasho Nestervic and some pick shuffling. Not only is Jamal Tinsley dangerous to hang out with, but he is also dangerous to have on your roster because you will take injury prone frail point guards just so you don't have to play him.

On with the draft.

1. Chicago Bulls   -    Derrick Rose, PG, Memphis

As expected the Bulls draft hometown guy Derrick Rose. I wrote about the Bulls' options in this article and it looks like they're going with option number 2. The success or failure of this pick will be determined by what the Bulls can get with Kirk Hinrich and other young talent that they've been hesistant to trade up until this point. Beasley would have been the easier solution, but Rose is the solution with the biggest upside.

2. Miami Heat   -   Michael Beasley, PF, Kansas State

I just didn't understand all of the pre-draft hype indicating the Heat would shy away from Beasley. I mean, why wouldn't you want to play him, Wade and Marion at the same time? Yes, you still need a point guard, but who knows if OJ can play it or if he wants to play the point. I think the guy is a selfish jerk, which are qualities you don't want in your point guard so Beasley is the only logical choice here. More on OJ later.

3. Minnesota Timberwolves   -   O.J. Mayo, G, USC

Not my favorite player and frankly I really don't know whether he's an upgrade over McCants and Foye. He says he can play the point, I think he can when he wants to, but I just have reservations about having a guy who took off his shirt and walked off the court in his final high school game before it was over. That kind of bravado is appropriate for a 2, not for a 1. Not to mention, something rubs me the wrong way about how everyone is getting in trouble for Mayo accepting benefits while he sits back smiling like he didn't do anything wrong.

4. Seattle Sonics/Oklahoma City Cyclones    -   Russell Westbrook, G, UCLA

I like Bayless better than Westbrook, although most would agree Westbrook has the bigger upside and is the better defender. The commentators are discussing what happens with Durant since they believe Westbrook may not be a natural point. However, why is no one paying attention to the fact that Durant has NO business playing the 2? He's a defensive liability at that position. (although you could probably argue he's a liability at the 3 also)   He's got weight to put on, but I'd like to see Durant at some point show the prowness on the glass in the league that he showed in college.

5. Memphis Grizzlies   -   Kevin Love, PF, UCLA

One of the most controversial prospects in this year's draft. Not a great athlete maybe a tad bit undersized, not in the greatest of shape, yet everyone is trying to sell him as a top five player in this year's draft. Since the end of the season, there have been reports that he has gotten into great shape.

I just know that when your ability to throw outlet passes is what scouts are raving about more than anything else, there should be some serious reservations.

The Knicks are up next and if they really want to move on they need to take someone to get Marbury out of the lineup. Bayless maybe?

6. New York Knicks   - Danilo Gallinari, F, Italy

Maybe not. The Knicks go with the foreigner, which shoudn't be suprising with D'Antoni as their new coach. If anyone knows anything about Euroleague players D'Antoni does. They're calling him a versatile scorer and a very solid player. He's young and the Knicks are going to have to wait on him.

Its really hard to grade this pick without having any idea what the Knicks plan is now with D'Antoni on board. I don't know if you can consider anything the Knicks do with their roster a success as long as Marbury is still around.

7. LA Clippers   - Eric Gordon, G, Indiana

This is the year of the combos I guess as the Clips take Gordon who they think will be able to play some point. We know Gordon can fill it up and we know he can shoot the lights out. We don't know whether he can play point in the league. However, Gordon, Thornton, Maggette, Brand and Kaman, gives the Clips alot of options, assuming Sterling doesn't blow this thing up.

8. Milwaukee Bucks   -   Joe Alexander, F, West Virginia

Really? I mean really? He plays what position? They just got who to play that same position? He can't play PF? Interesting pick. I will leave it at that.

The good thing about the Bobcats picking 9th is that there really isn't anyone on the board that Jordan can pick that people can get really angry with him about. You rarely get gamechangers this late in the first round, so if it doesn't pan out he can blame their draft position. If it works out he can claim he was a genius talent evaluator. Its win-win for MJ.

Jay Bilas just suggested Brooke Lopez and I agree with the suggestion however:

9. Charlotte Bobcats   - D.J. Augustin, PG, Texas

Never doubt MJ's ability to screw up a pick.

MJ once again pulls a rabbit out of his hat and drafts another point guard selling out fellow Carolina alum Raymond Felton in the process. I think Augustin can help the Cats and I definitely think that Felton is not going to get much better than he is now with regards to basketball IQ and decision-making. You also must consider that Augustin's ability and quickness is a good mesh with athletic wings Wallace and Richardson. With that said, I still think the Cats would have been better served by going big.

Did I miss something this week on Bayless' workouts? Did he show up chubby? Seems I remember reading his workouts went great.

10. New Jersey Nets    -   Brook Lopez, C, Stanford

The first pick in a while that makes sense for the drafting team. The Nets have been trying to get size for the last 4-5 years and although not great, Lopez is the most skilled center in the draft. If Kristic can return to form, the Nets have some potential on the roster. They're looking at:

1- Harris
2- Carter
3- Yi/Simmons
4- Kristic
5- Lopez

Now that I write that out it isn't scaring anyone right now and may never be scary, but it is a good mix of youth, potential and experience. They're well on the way to being mediocre which is what they are shooting for apparently.

Pardon me though but doesn't, 1- Harris, 2- Carter, 3- Jefferson, 4- Kristic, and 5- Lopez look much better for the next 3-4 years or is that just me?

11. Indiana Pacers   -   Jerryd Bayless, G, Arizona

So you trade Jermaine O'Neal for a PG in TJ Ford then you draft Bayless a PG. I understand Bayless wasn't supposed to be there and he is probably the best player on the board. However, it looks like the Pacers are going to have to move some players around because they've got alot of guards.

I'll pay you $20.00 if you can name 3 bigs on the Pacers roster right now. (Don't look it up now)

12. Sacramento Kings   -   Jason Thompson, F, Rider

I know the Kings hated to see Bayless come off the board right before they picked considering that they probably had the biggest PG need in the entire draft. I guess you really can't blame them for going big here considering what's left. However, Mark Jackson makes a point that it looks like they are just content with striking out on bigs who probably won't amount to anything greater than your average joe role player. However, beware of the potential with Thompson. (We've heard this before)

Now you want to talk about a team who has it made? Young talent? Big freaking check! Big stud? Check. Here they sit at 13 without a pressing need except maybe at the point, however, a veteran point would be more ideal than reaching at this point for a player who probably won't get any playing time for years. This pick will likely be for someone else, or in anticipation of the Blazers unloading some of their young talent for some veteran leadership.

13. Portland Trailblazers   -   Brandon Rush, G, Kansas

Even though they've got Brandon Roy, I like this pick, although how Rush and Roy will fit into the Blazers plans may be up in the air. Roy plays some point for the Blazers so either they will play them together or Rush will come in at the 2 and 3. Either way, drafting a player like Rush is almost like acquiring a veteran with his many years of experience in college b-ball at a big time program. The only thing he needs to overcome is the curse on his family. (Kareem and Jaron have both been ehh )

14. Golden State Warriors -   Anthony Randolph, F, LSU

Why I'm thinking Stromile Swift as this guy is approaching the podium is beyond me. Can you really be less than 200 lbs and 6-10? We're talking about a guy who needs to put on 30-40 pounds here.

With that said, can you really blame the Warriors who are in desperate need of size here? (Even though I just don't see how this guy can do anything for you but finish on the break and block some shots in help defense for at least 2 years)

15. Phoenix Suns   -   Robin Lopez, C, Stanford

The Phoenix Suns get their hands on Anderson Varejao who provides a decent backup for Shaq and will fit into what looks to be the Suns new halfcourt offense. He's also a good complement for Amare Stoudamire in the long run, as he can guard centers and allows Stoudamire to play PF even when Shaq breaks down or gets in foul trouble.

There has been talk of the Suns trading Diaw or Barbosa. I think if Diaw can stay in shape he really fills out the Suns frontcourt rotation. (Diaw, Shaq, Stoudamire and Lopez) A Barbosa trade would really hurt the Suns' punch off the bench on a team that is sorely lacking perimeter scorers anyway. (not to mention an aging team with not many young talented players) If they can't get back a player like Michael Redd for him, I don't really see the point. Diaw and Barbosa for a backup point guard is just not a good look.

16. Philadelphia 76ers   -   Marreese Speights, F, Florida

6ers need a big and get one in Speights. He showed great efficiency in college shooting 62% from the field, but I'm a little weary of anyone on this past year's Florida team. These players are like spoiled rich kids for the most part. The school is coming off back-to-back national championships. Although this year's team was not expected to do as well, you can bet these kids thought they would just walk into the arena and teams would just step aside while they waltzed to a 25 win season. It remains to be seen whether Speights has the mental toughness to produce at the NBA level.

17. Toronto Raptors   -   Roy Hibbert, C, Georgetown

This pick will likely go to the Pacers as part of the Jermaine O'Neal/TJ Ford swap.

Hibbert is a talented player for a big. Issues are stamina, mobility, and staying out of foul trouble. He will have games where he will play very well. However, he will also have games where he will give you 1 pt, 2 rebs, 0 blks and 6 fouls. If you can live with that from your starting center then he is your guy. (No you cannot use Roy Hibbert as one of the Pacers bigs from the question above until the trade is official)

On a completely irrelevant and out of left field side note, since we're talking about the Raptors, am I the only one that thinks that Candace Parker not only gives her brother Anthony Parker hell in one on one games, but she may just beat him just as much as he beats her? She's a big girl and I'd definitely bet on her in a dunk contest against him.

Trade: Pacers trade Ike Diogu and Jerryd Bayless for Brandon Rush and Jarrett Jack.

Now this is one of the few developments of the night that actually makes sense. Jerryd Bayless is a much better fit in the backcourt with Brandon Roy and Ike Diogu provides the Blazers with more frontcourt depth. Brandon Rush fills a need for the Pacers at the 2, and Jarrett Jack is a solid insurance policy after Tinsley's next brush with the law and TJ's next stint on the injured list.

Portland is going to be tough for years to come.

1- Bayless/Blake
2- Roy/Webster/Fernandez?
3- Outlaw/Jones
4- Aldridge/Frye
5- Oden/Pryzbilla

Good depth at every position and everyone on that list is young. Expect some of the youngsters to be shipped for veteran help. (See, Outlaw, Webster, Frye)

But Bayless, Roy, Aldridge and Oden is probably the best young core in the league to build around.

18. Washington Wizards   -   JaVale McGee, C, Nevada

A lesser known player, however, I really don't think you can knock the Wiz picking a big man.

19. Cleveland Cavaliers   -   J.J. Hickson, F, North Carolina State

Good pick for the Cavs. A young athletic big who is a threat to score in the paint. Just as you can't knock a pick by the Wiz of a big man, you can't knock a pick by the Cavs of a player with any offensive ability.

Trade Update: A Josh McRoberts sighting! I'm sure the Blazers are saying the same thing Duke was saying when he declared early. Peace out bud, wish you the best.

20. Charlotte Bobcats   -   Alexis Ajinca, F/C, France

7-1 240, with a 7-8 wingspan. On the surface this looks like a good pick for a team in need of frontcourt depth. Scouting report indicates that his biggest knock is lack of strength and experience playing against elite competition.

Considering that you can't expect but so much this late in the draft, I can't really knock the pick but so much. Apparently teams aren't big on Darrell Arthur as teams are passing up on him left and right.

From the Bobcats perspective it looks like they are trying to find someone who will allow them to move Okafor to the 4 where they think he'll be alot more effective. The pick however, does not put a timetable on that move as we have no idea when Ajinca will be ready to contribute on the NBA level. This stings a little more considering that drafted PG DJ Augustin with Brook Lopez still on the board earlier.

21. New Jersey Nets   -   Ryan Anderson, PF, California

Can't knock the Nets for going big, although a scoring wing like Chris Douglas-Roberts would be a good fit here also.

22. Orlando Magic   -   Courtney Lee, SG, Western Kentucky

Trade JJ already. You're playing Keith Bogans over him and you're still drafting shooting guards. You must conclude that, JJ can't defend and will be used exclusively as a Jon Barry type spot up shooter for the rest of his career. Does this pick mean they're giving up on him, or that they're going to let him rot on the bench for another year?

23. Utah Jazz   -   Kosta Koufos, C, Ohio State

The big guy from Ohio State joins Boozer and Okur along the Jazz frontline. Not a bad pick, although the Jazz could definitely use a slashing wing here. (Douglas-Roberts) I don't know if this pick will help the Jazz against the Lakers, Spurs, and Hornets next year.

24. Seattle Supersonics   -   Serge Ibaka, F, Congo

I refuse to comment on players who are staying overseas for a couple of years. If the Spurs make this pick, I'm all over it, but when one of the worst teams in the league with tons of needs makes this pick, you've got to scratch your head just a little.

Maybe its a cost saving measure for a team in flux that is moving to OKC pretty soon?

25. Houston Rockets   -   Nicholas Batum, F, France

Athletic international wing for the Rockets, which brings up a good mulligan question for the Rockets.

Prior to trading Rudy Gay for Shane Battier, the Rockets couldn't get out of the first round. Everyone loved the trade and considered Battier a glue guy, etc, yet the Rockets still can't get out of the first round. Meanwhile Gay has developed into a borderline all-star wing in Memphis and one of the rising stars of the league. Think the Rockets would do this trade again knowing what they know now?

What about Michael Jordan? Can you believe this dude passed over Gay for Adam Morrison? Really?

26. San Antonio Spurs   -   George Hill, PG, Indiana-Purdue

Considering the age of the Spurs roster, I don't think you could have knocked whoever the Spurs picked. If you really want to nitpick, maybe you could take some points away because Hill is a junior. They need a 19 year old freshman if just to take down the average age of their roster.

This pick will be transferred to the Blazers for cash considerations. Is it me or does it seem like the Blazers have drafted about twenty million young prospects in the last two drafts? Its been disclosed that Arthur may be dropping as a result of concerns about a kidney ailment, but unless its something career threatning, it probably wouldn't hurt to to take a chance on him.

The Blazers being the smartest team in the draft the last couple of years do just that:

27. New Orleans Hornets   - Darrell Arthur, F, Kansas

A face-up 4 with decent athleticism. He graded as a lottery talent, needs to get alot stronger, and now has some motivation to succeed. Obtaining a projected lottery selection for cash considerations is undoubtedly a good move.

Memphis is on the clock with a chance to stave off a league investigation of their organization and Jerry West for that debacle of a trade sending Pau Gasol to the Lakers for government cheese and food stamps. (This is one of the picks the Lakers gave the Grizz as part of the deal. I guess they felt sorry for them)
However, whoever they pick will need to be at least a starter in the league for years to come to make this trade look even remotely legit.

They better not draft a PG or they are officially the Detroit Lions of the NBA.

28. Memphis Grizzlies   -   Donte Green, F, Syracuse

Green's got talent, and is in the mold of players the Grizz are already familiar with. (Hakim Warrick and Stromile Swift ring any bells?) Considering that neither of these guys have been that good, it is somewhat questionable that the Grizz would draft yet another young, athletic, skinny forwad, although this late in the draft you're really picking on a hope and a prayer anyway.

Notable Second Round selections:

Blazers select Joey Dorsey, F, Memphis

Another solid selection for the Blazers. He may not make the team but he is a physical prospect who could help along the Blazers frontline.

Timberwolves select Mario Chalmers, G, Kansas

Projected first rounder falls into the T-Wolves lap. Between him and Majo hopefully one of these guys will pan out at the point for the Wolves.

Bucks select Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, F, UCLA

Another small forward for a team that traded two for another one and drafted yet another one in the first round.

Nets select Chris Douglas-Roberts, G, Memphis

Another player projected to go in the first round who fell. Great selection here especially considering that I suggested the Nets pick him over Ryan Anderson in the first round.

Kings select Patrick Ewing, Jr., F, Georgetown

Although drafted, it would be suprising if Patrick Ewing, Jr. hangs around the league as long as his dad did.

Live Blog of the Lakers' 5 Minutes of Hell in Game 4

no@spam.com (Patrick Williams) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EDT

After listening to Van Gundy declare the game over when the Lakers were up 20 in 1st and watching the Lakers lead by as much as 24, I made the mistake of giving my wife control over the remote. I then received the following text message from my boy Khris:

"I'm sorry, MJ just wouldn't have let this happen."

After a mad scramble for the remote, I stop my wife's DVR'ed General Hospital episodes and turn to the game and the bleaping score is 77-77. Lamar Odom's face looks like Rocky's in Rocky IV when Drago bellowed, "if he dies, HE DIES." Its looks like we've got some must see TV down the stretch:

5:21 remaining: Posey hits a three to cut the Lakers lead to 81-80, followed by Kobe's floater straight off the glass no rim and a Gasol bucket. I hate to bring back up the Kobe/MJ comparisons, but it's plays like this that end the discussion. I just don't recall Mike forcing as many shots or getting stuck in the air without a shot or pass as much. To quote Khris once again, "if this was MJ, he'd have 45 and the game would be over."

4:22 remaining: Odom does the exact same thing, all glass no rim. He has been killing the Lakers this series. When Phil said he was tight Odom got defensive because he knew it was the truth.

Eddie House one of the biggest gunners in basketball history hits a big three to give the Celts their first lead. This game is turning into a prime opportunity for KG to silence alot of critics.

2:53: Lakers down 3, Kobe can't get a shot and kicks out to Farmer who bricks a three, followed by a Garnett basket putting the Celtics up 5.

Its pretty safe to say if the Lakers lose this game the series is over. Coming into this series, I grossly underestimated how big a mismatch Gasol guarding KG is. What makes it worse is that KG knows Gasol can't guard him and for stretches he totally dominates him.

Unfortunately the fact that he only does this for stretches is what has kept KG from reaching his potential. You can call it unselfishness, lack of killer instinct, or whatever else you can think of. Fact of that matter is, there is no reason that KG shouldn't average 30 points per game shooting 60% against Pau Gasol, TenderRoni Turiaf, Lamar Odom, and Vlad. Don't try to convince me otherwise, I won't listen.

Down the stretch in this game KG took one shot. Luckily, James Posey hit two threes and Eddie House hit another that sealed the deal, however, had they missed these shots and the Celtics lost this game, everyone would have been asking why KG didn't take these shots. I'll bet if you had a mic on Doc Rivers down the stretch you'd have heard, "HOUSE WHAT THE HELL ARE *swish* .......you doing shoving the dagger in LAs heart like that" or "POSEY, IF YOU SHOOT THAT *basket good*.......shot and make it like that I'll buy you dinner."

2:03: Kobe at the line trying to redeem himself cutting the lead to 3. All I can think about is the rumors about Kobe staging games in high school so that he could provide late game heroics. This one isn't staged, it's a must win game and Kobe has 1:44 to show and prove.

1:30: Kobe scores again with a tough finish on KG. Where is Tim Donaghy when you need him? Lakers need a three point play in the WORST way right about now.

1:13: Posey with another big three. I'll bet Phil's pre-game whiteboard said in big underlined letters, "we'll live with Posey beating us." He's got 18.

46.8: Kobe fouls Paul Pierce, sending him to the line. 92-89 Celtics. So with this flopping rule, are defensive players the only one getting fined for flopping or are offensive players who act like they just got stabbed in the hip when they get a little contact going to be cutting checks too?

21.0: Ray Allen scores on "The Machine" to go up 5 again as the entire Lakers team completely forgets how to play help defense. One thing made evident by this series is the fact that Pau Gasol not only brought immense talent to this Lakers roster, but he brought years of losing and the nonchalant defensive attitude that comes along with losing to this ballclub. How many times have we seen Gasol's alligator arms on drives to the hoop. (See, Leon Powe's coast to coast dunk in Game 2 as the most serious offense)

3.6: Game over, Celts up with the ball. Kobe's complaining and the league's best finisher couldn't close out a game up 20 points in the 3rd quarter. He finished with 17 points and no team in league history has come back from a 3-1 deficit.

What started out as a joke, has turned out to be a disaster.

Blickees Winter Sports Roundup

no@spam.com (Patrick Williams) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST

Blickees Winter Sports Roundup

NBA GMs Shaking Up Rosters

The Suns, Mavs, Heat, Cavs, Lakers and Bulls all made significant moves before the trading deadline. Lakers owner Jerry Buss is currently under investigation for highway robbery in stealing Gasol for a Snickers and a pack of Big League Chew. The Suns brought in the Big Washed Up hoping he will provide them with some toughness down the stretch.

Most importantly though, the trade of Larry Hughes to the Bulls likely marks the end of one of the funniest and one of my favorite sports blogs.

http://heylarryhughespleasestoptakingsomanybadshots.com/

Cheers to a great run and as one of your commenters recommends, I know many who will pay big money for http://damnitdolanwhythef---doesisiahhaveajob.com

No One is Safe from Roger Clemens

His wife? Check. Good friends? Check. Who is next in Roger's insane blame game. If you tell a lie enough times you can forget it was a lie. I'm just glad I don't know him or else I might be under federal investigation. Why not just blame everything on Jose Canseco? Now that I think about it, the feds should call Jose an expert witness. There aren't many out there doubting his book's credibility now.

Meanwhile, under the radar, Barry Bonds is paying off all of the witness in his case and slipped his attorney a bonus retainer to make the skeletons in his closet "go away."

Celtic Bandwagon now loading Old Washed Up NBAers

PJ Brown leads the pack with Sam Cassell right around the corner. Don’t be surprised if Karl Malone, Gary Payton, Reggie Miller, and other retired roster hopping ringless wonders are rumored to be working with Tim Grover.

Chris Paul v. Steve Nash

I am of the opinion that:

1) Chris Paul deserved to start over Nash in the all-star game and
2) Paul has surpassed Nash as the better PG at this point.

Yeah Nash has 2 MVPs and playoff experience, so I’m not saying Paul has had a better career. However, right now, this minute, today, I’ll argue till I’m blue in the face Paul is better. Why? He’s quicker, a better finisher, just as good a playmaker and ball handler and a much better defender. If you consider the fact that Paul and the Hornets completed a season sweep of the Suns this evening and that Paul dominated Nash in all matchups, I think it’s a no brainer.

Discredit the regular season if you want, but not only have the Suns never shown an ability to flip a playoff “switch” but Nash is probably having nightmares about having to chase Paul in a potential 7 game series. Nash has to feel like the 40 year old guy at your local basketball park who’s asked to pick up that quick young ankle breaker that no one wants to guard for fear of skinning their knees up on the hard cement.

Sean Salisbury leaves ESPN in favor of Cris Carter?!?!?

Huh? Salisbury pisses me off a lot, however, I can respect a guy that can play a good devil’s advocate sometimes. But there are a lot of guys who could have been jettisoned before Sean. (*ehem* Emmitt Smith *cough*) Your first priority should be to replace the English language butchers when you've got a guy on your station who says brilliant things like "If you want to stay perfect, you cannot go undefeated with a blemish on your record" and who gives groundbreaking Super Bowl analysis such as "what happened tonight, the strength of the Patriots' team got debacled."

Since there is no such thing as a good blog without Cowboy bashing:

Rumor: Cowboys may make a play for Randy Moss

No way in hell this happens and even if it is hell and it does happen there is no way it works. Not enough balls to go around or enough cameras to cover the media circus. To top it all off, under Wade Phillips’ watch? It’s like asking 90 year old grandparents to adopt your juvenile delinquent kids. Only madness can result. But with Jerry Jones involved I fear saying never.

Rumor: Eagles to forgo the draft and start next season with 2007 roster

Clearly I’m joking, but after reading this little piece and growing tired of Andy Reid’s arrogance, I don’t know how surprised I would be to see this come to fruition. (let’s see how effective reverse psychology is)

Defensive Player of the Week: Kyle Korver

Credit to okayplayer once again for making me shoot Sunkist out of my nose after seeing this defensive display by Kyle Korver of the Utah Jazz. I’ll bet he did that to avoid getting posterized and it happened anyway.

The funniest thing about this picture is McCants is going up for a jumper, not cocked back preparing to do a 360 windmill from the free throw line in a Superman cape. Its not like little kids have posters of players getting facials from mid range jumpers in their rooms. Its ok to put a hand up, God forbid you sprain a finger or something.

Runner up:

Take Wally out of this picture and you know what it looks like.

Let’s just say I wouldn’t want to be around these guys with my commissary.

The NBA's First Ladies; When You Can Ball is the Fruit Really Sweeter?

no@spam.com (Patrick Williams) — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST

Sean Taylor and Sports Journalism???

no@spam.com (Jermaine Gibson) — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 00:00:00 EST

From the initial reports of his shooting and demise, Sean Taylor has been the fodder for Sports news all week. Everyone had an opinion about happened, who was involved and my favorite whether Sean Taylor somehow brought this on himself. We here at Blickees reserved our commits to condolences for the family for one reason. We like everyone in the media knew in the immortal words of Jim Mora knew "Diddly Poo." Did these little words stop ESPN from from plastering numberous nimrods on the screen to not only speculate without a shred of facts but also justifiing how it was somehow "good journalism" to do so.

Now the truth for his murder shows that he was a victim of wealth and idiot criminals (are there any other kinds), all of the "good sports journalist" should be smacked with a copy of their selected sports publication. Yes this means you Jason Whitlock. Hip-hop music did not kill Sean Taylor, 3 teenagers did. I will refrain from exposing the 4 ton elephant in the room. However I think cease with asking the likes of Whitlock and the Michael Wilbons for their opinions about young blacks athletes because there is obviously a disconnect. These guys have as much of an idea of the mindset of the young black athlete as I do of a 13 years old japanese school girl. Hopefully there will be no "next time" for a situation like this but maybe the sports media will actually practice journalism and not some tabloid variation.

For Amusement Only - Dec. 1-2

no@spam.com (Heyward Wall) — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 00:00:00 EST

The blog took a one-week hiatus for Thanksgiving, but the previous week was the best of the year so far. The results were 2-1 in the NFL, 2-2 in college hoops, 2-0 in the NBA, and a stunning 4-0 in college football. Busy week in the real world has the blog coming out on Saturday this week, but still plenty of plays on the board. As always, read the disclaimers in the first blog (short version: don't do anything illegal), and then proceed with the rest of this weekend's edition.

Blog Records:

College Basketball: 5-2, +$280

NBA: 4-6, -260

MLB Playoffs: 5-3, +325

College Football: 17-13-1, +270

NFL: 6-6-1, -60

College Basketball

It looks like there are about a thousand college basketball games on the board today, so it's tough to narrow it down to just a few. Here are the top four plays:

James Madison +5.5

Huh? Northeastern has a couple nice players, but JMU is loaded this year and the sportsbooks are still underrating them so far, which is good for wanna-be handicappers like me. James Madison probably wins this game outright, but I'll happily take 5 insurance points, just in case.

UNC-Wilmington +4.5

Even though UNC-W has started out 4-2, and one of those two losses was against Indiana, I feel like they have underachieved a little bit this season. With the talent they have returning this season, they should be winning more convincingly this season so far. Today, against a very mediocre Hofstra team (although Agudio is very good) that has already lost to Holy Cross and St. Francis, I think the Seahawks finally put it all together this afternoon.

South Carolina +7.5

With two former South Carolina Mr. Basketball winners transferring back home, Devan Downey and Zam Frederick, the Gamecocks are a really dangerous team this season. I like Clemson a lot this year (I ranked them #3 in my ACC Hoops Preview), but with Sam Perry and James Mays injured, South Carolina should be able to at least keep this game close today.

Western Michigan +7.5

Western Michigan has a deep roster which returns all 5 starters from last year's team. They have already posted an impressive win over Davidson (who almost beat UNC a couple of weeks ago) so far this season. San Diego State had a really good season last year, but lost a lot of firepower to graduation at the end of the season. Too many points to give a talented team.

NBA

I have never been very good at picking NBA games, but won both picks in the last blog and I am slowly trying to dig myself out of the hole. There are so many psychological factors involved with the players in the NBA that it makes it pretty much a guessing game as far as I can tell. Still, I'll throw a couple of darts for Saturday:

Mavericks-4

Both teams played last night, which favors the Mavs with their deeper roster. Plus, it seems like it has been a long time since the Hornets have defeated Dallas, and sometimes a team just has another team's number. The matchups always seem to work in Dallas' favor when these teams meet. Neither Chandler nor West is capable of defending an inside/outside threat like Dirk Nowitzki.

Rockets -5

Obviously, the Rockets are a very good team and the Kings, well, not so much. With Ron Artest leaving the team to care for his daughter who is facing some serious health issues, I can't see the Kings keeping up with Yao, T-Mac, and crew.

College Football

I considered just calling it quits in college football after the 4-0 performance in the last blog, but it's a big weekend and I thought I should put a couple out there. Saturday's picks:

Tennessee +7.5

Nice job, Les Miles. Well played. The morning of the SEC Championship Game, the story comes out that Miles has agreed to leave LSU and accept the job at Michigan. Brilliant. If you're an LSU Tiger, are you going to run through a wall for this guy today? I don't think so. I've been saying that LSU was a fraud all season, and I'm going to go with that theme again today. Tennessee has been playing well lately, while the LSU defense has not looked as dominant in recent weeks.

UCLA +20

USC is better team, I can't argue with that. But, in a big rivalry game, that's an awful lot of points. USC will win this game, but I think the Bruins will keep the score within two touchdowns. Weather report says it will be pretty windy tonight, which makes it hard to throw and should keep the scoring down to some degree. Lower scoring is always a great thing when you've got a 20-point underdog.

NFL

I think that's three undefeated weeks in a row in the NFL after getting off to a bad start. I'm going to try and make it 4 in a row with two home favorites on Sunday:

Redskins -6

This one's for Sean. I think emotion is often overrated, but football is a sport where it can really be a factor. Emotion won't make it easier to hit a curveball and it won't make your aim better when shooting a 3-pointer with a hand in your face, but emotion and desire CAN make you run faster, hit harder, and play through pain. Also, with Marshawn Lynch out again the Skins only have to put 6 or 7 defenders in the box, and the Bills are going to have a hard time scoring against an inspired Redskin defense. Washington blows out Buffalo tomorrow, you heard it here first.

Saints -3

The Buccaneers have done an admirable job of overcoming injuries in their backfield so far this season, but if Jeff Garcia is out or unable to perform up to his normal standard, I think Tampa is going to have a long day tomorrow. It's hard to back a Jeckyll and Hyde team like the Saints, but at home and only needing to win by a field goal, I think this is the side to be on in this game.

For Amusement Only, Nov. 16-19

no@spam.com (Heyward Wall) — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EST

If you lived somewhere you could legally gamble on sports, and you played every game in last week's blog for the same amount, you would have ended up ahead for the weekend, which is always nice. I did terribly in the NBA, but had a great debut in college hoops and gained back some of the early losses in the NFL. As always, read the disclaimers in the first blog (short version: don't do anything illegal), and then proceed with the rest of this weekend's edition.

Blog Records:

College Basketball: 3-0, +$300

NBA: 2-6, -460

MLB Playoffs: 5-3, +325

College Football: 13-13-1, -130

NFL: 4-5-1, -150

College Basketball

Well, I couldn't have started much better. I won all 3 of last weeks picks with ease. College basketball and baseball are where you can find a lot of bad lines if you have the time to look for them. Here are four more for Friday night:

Baylor -4.5

I was somewhat stunned when I looked at Baylor's roster for this season and discovered that they have a really good team down there that nobody is talking about. Coach Drew has taken a team left for dead after the horrible actions of the previous coach, the Bears return a trio of very good guards this season along with a lot of size up front. Wichita State has one really nice player left from the successful teams of the past few years, but they are basic starting over this year.

Fordham +10.5

Syracuse has a very young team with a lot of potential, but they have not looked impressive so far. Fordham returns all 5 starters from last year's team and all 5 are seniors. I'll take that kind of experience plus double-digit points over unproven potential every night.

Temple -3 1^st half

Temple's starting backcourt includes the top 2 scorers in the Atlantic 10 Conference from last season, and I was impressed with their performance last night against a very solid Providence squad. I don't think the College of Charleston has the weapons to keep up tonight, and I think they come out a little flat in the first half after getting ripped by Arkansas yesterday.

Connecticut +9

Memphis is one of the favorites for the Final Four this year, but with starting center Joey Dorsey re-aggravating his shoulder injury last night, the young talented UConn kids should be able to hang close enough to cover this number tonight.

NBA

Even if it were legal, it would be hard to put real money on the line in the NBA. With a lot of the players, you just never know what nights they will give it their all and which nights they will just go through the motions. With that said, on to the picks for Friday night:

Sonics +8

Seattle doesn't have the talent and experience of most teams in the league, but they are playing hard every night and been in most of their games. Due to injury, the Hawks will be without Lorenzen Wright, Speedy Claxton, Acie Law, and, most importantly, Josh Smith in Atlanta tonight. As a result, Seattle should be able to at least stay close in this one.

Rockets Under 178.5

Tracy McGrady will miss tonight's game against the Spurs and his absence will have two big impacts on the total. First, obviously, a player with huge scoring potential has been removed from the game. Second, without T-Mac, the Rockets will likely pound the ball inside to Yao Ming all night, thus slowing down the pace of the game. The Spurs are happy to play at that pace and do the same with Tim Duncan.

College Football

A narrow loss last week, ending up 2-3 overall. With the season winding down, I'm hoping to do well enough to end the year on a winning note. Saturday's picks:

Ohio State -4

Offensively, these teams are pretty close at full strength. However, as I write this blog entry, both Chad Henne and Mike Hart are listed as game-time decisions. If either of both of them cannot go, that's a big advantage for Ohio State. On the defensive end, the game is no contest. Michigan had some serious losses due to graduation from last season, while Ohio State is the 2^nd ranked overall defense in the country. Buckeyes roll.

North Carolina +10

Georgia Tech is the better team, but Carolina's defense is pretty solid. Tech can't throw the ball anyway, but with Tashard Choice less than 100% with knee injury, I think UNC is gonna make this one interesting.

Cincinnati +6

The Bearcats are a live home dog in an important Big East matchup against West Virginia. Cincinnati has a balanced offensive attack and is stout against the run, which is West Virginia's offensive strength.

Vanderbilt +11.5

I can't honestly say that Vandy is a better team than Tennessee, but their defensive numbers are better than the Vols, and they have a better rushing attack. If Tennessee players are looking ahead at all to next week's game against Kentucky, they are going to have a real game on their hands tomorrow.

NFL

I've had two winning (undefeated) weeks in a row in the NFL after a lousy start. Here are three more for this week:

Browns -2.5

I got a winner with the Browns last week, and I'm going back to the well again. The Ravens are just awful this year, and I'm not expecting them to turn it around now.

Titans +2.5

Something is wrong with the Broncos this season. Jay Cutler doesn't inspire confidence and it is unknown if Travis Henry will play in the Monday night game. The Titans have been solid this year, and they should pick up a big road win in front of the Monday night audience.

Rams -3

This game might be unwatchable, but that doesn't mean you can't pick a winner here. The Rams are getting healthy (Marc Bulger, Steven Jackson), while the 49ers are going the opposite direction. Trent Dilfer gets the start for SF this week, and I'm not sure I need to say any more than that.

For Amusement Only - Nov. 9-11

no@spam.com (Heyward Wall) — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EST

I ended up basically treading water last weekend overall, but pulled off a winning week in the NFL which I desperately needed. With NBA and college basketball coming online, I've moved the picks blog to Fridays. I sacrifice a chance to play the Thursday night college football games, but gain the opportunity to pick out of the big NBA card on Friday and the huge list of college basketball games on Saturday. As always, read the disclaimers in the first blog (short version: don't do anything illegal), and then proceed with the rest of this weekend's edition.

Blog Records:

College Basketball: 0-0

NBA: 2-3, -130

MLB Playoffs: 5-3, +325

College Football: 11-10-1, +0

NFL: 2-5-1, -350

College Basketball

It's the most wonderful time of the year! My favorite sport is gearing up for another season, with the first big slate of games tipping off tonight. Look for my ACC hoops preview article hitting the site on Saturday. Usually, the big card would be on Saturday, with only the Ivy League doing much on Friday night, but this week there are a ton of games on Friday. Here are three small southern schools listed as underdogs tonight, who deserve more respect than what they are getting from Vegas:

James Madison +4

Siena won this game rather easily at home last year in one of ESPN's Bracket Buster games. This year, JMU gets to play in their gym and against a Siena team that lost some good players to graduation. The better team is at home and getting points, which sounds like a good play to me.

UNC-Greensboro +17

It's never easy to play against Georgia Tech in Atlanta, but I think UNC-G is a lot better than this line would indicate. They are undersized, but the Yellow Jackets will be without two of its important big men tonight, Dickey (academics) and Peacock (injury), and look for box score stuffing forward Kyle Hines to have a big season opener for the visitors.

Elon +18

Elon is not as good as UNC-G, also of the Southern Conference, but Virginia Tech is not as good as Georgia Tech this season either. The Hokies lost three of their best players to graduation last season in Dowdell, Gordon, and Collins, and are pretty much in rebuilding mode this year - tonight's starting lineup is likely to feature two freshmen, including the point guard, who are playing in their first NCAA game. Elon returns a lot of players with experience and should be able stay within this huge number tonight.

NBA

The NBA is a tough sport to handicap since the effort level of most of the players seems to change on a daily basis. That said, I usually do pretty well in the first weeks of the season at least. On to the picks for Friday night:

Knicks -1

Along with the Bucks (3-1 against the spread) and Clippers (4-0 ATS), the Knicks (2-1 ATS) are one of the teams that the public, and therefore the bookmakers, are underestimating so far this season. Sure, the organization is dysfunctional, but they can score a ton of points and run with anybody. Dwight Howard is likely to have a big game, as usual, but in the Garden, I think the Magic get outgunned tonight.

Bucks +9

Like I said above, people aren't noticing how much talent the Bucks are putting on the floor this season. They're not going to make much noise in the playoffs this season, but all I need them to do is play better than expected tonight in the Chinese Super Bowl (Yao vs. Yi), and I think they will.

Grizzlies +2.5

The Blazers are playing hard and I think this line reflects them getting too much credit for beating the road-weary Hornets the other night. With Rudy Gay and Darko Milicic playing well, alongside the rest of a solid starting unit (Gasol, Miller, Stoudamire), this team can do some damage when their shots are falling. The Grizzlies don't usually have a talent edge over another team, but they do tonight and should win this game straight up.

College Football

Another .500 performance in college football last week. Luckily, I've figured out a way to avoid that this week by giving an odd number of picks. Unless there's a push in the last game listed, at least I won't break even again. Here are the 5 that made the cut:

Indiana -2.5

There's just more talent on the roster for Indiana than for Northwestern this season. Give me the better team needing only a field goal to win.

Michigan State +4.5

The Spartans seem to have a real knack for playing either up or down to the level of their opponents. Perhaps that explains why they have already played five games this year where the scoring margin was four points or less at the end of regulation. I see a similar finish Saturday against Purdue, who squeaked by Michigan State by only 2 points last year.

Louisiana Tech +36.5

Continuing my "LSU is a fraud" theme discussed in last week's blog, I'm going against them again and hoping their losing against the spread streak goes to 7 straight games.

Florida State +6.5

Another common theme among my picks this season has been Virginia Tech's shoddy offense and picking against them where appropriate. Last week, the Hokies came alive against Georgia Tech, but I still can't resist this many points in this situation. If the Hokies cover again this week, I'll re-evaluate my position.

USC -4

The preseason consensus #1 team has not lived up to the hype this season, but they are better across the board than Cal, especially defensively, and should take out some frustration this weekend on the Bears.

NFL

Finally! I had been in a real drought in the NFL picks lately, but finally got a winner last week as the Colts stayed within the number, even though they choked away the game in the 4^th quarter. Even if I lived somewhere with legal sports wagering, I don't think I would lay any hard-earned money in the NFL this week. Nothing looks great to me this week (tempted to take the Cardinals in what looks like a huge trap, but I'll pass), but for the sake of the blog, I'm throwing two picks out there for Sunday:

Browns +10

Yes, the Browns got beaten up pretty badly by the Steelers in Week 1, but with the Steelers having a short week and coming off an easy win over the Ravens which may have left them with a bit of overconfidence, I'll go the other way with double-digit points in my pocket. Browns offense has really improved since the beginning of the season, and I'm thinking they should be able to stay within a touchdown in the rematch.

Falcons +4

I'm not sure the Panthers have done anything to suggest they should be favored by more than a field goal against anybody outside of the Rams or Dolphins. Neither Carr nor Vinny can get the ball to Steve Smith (trust me, he's on my fantasy team) and I just don't see them running away with this one, even at home against a lame team like the Falcons.