After a slow start Hornets Coach Byron Scott was fired and replaced
with general manager Jeff Bower who will make his head coaching debut
tonight. Things will not be easy in Bowers first game as these two
teams are going in opposite directions. The Blazers shot superbly
(.553 from the field, .400 from three-point range, .867 at the line)
against Minnesota Wednesday night and won the rebound battle 41-29 and
had 30 assists. Greg Oden played superb scoring 18 and grabbing 11
rebounds in 26 minutes. The biggest news that in the first time in his
NBA career he committed no fouls! The Hornets have not played well at
home this season with narrow victories against the Kings and the
Mavericks (in overtime) and got blown out by the Raptors in their last
home game. Portland is 4-0 since coach Nate McMillan switched the
starting lineup, using point guards Steve Blake and Andre Miller in
the backcourt, moving Brandon Roy to small forward with LaMarcus
Aldridge at power forward and Greg Oden at center. This lineup will
wreak havoc on this Hornet team tonight.
Prediction:
New Orleans - 89
Portland Trailblazers - 99
Play On:
15* Portland Trailblazers -1.5
Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets
Do you think the Nuggets have been looking forward to this one? Losing
to the Lakers 4-2 in last spring's Western Conference finals, it is
still fresh on their minds. "Just keeping that in the back of my
mind," said Carmelo Anthony, "I kept harping that we lost and we were
two games away from getting where we wanted to be. I know I used that
as motivation this summer to get better, to work harder." Nuggets
forward Kenyon Martin has said on several occasions since last spring
he believes Denver had the better team last summer and still does. The
Nuggets lost two games in the final seconds when they threw away
inbound passes. "We thought if we played a little bit better, we
could've gotten to the Finals," said Nuggets coach George Karl. "If we
had gotten to the Finals, we think we could've been fortunate in
catching a team like Orlando that we felt we could've competed
against." Karl was right about the Magic as the Lakers coasted to
another championship winning 4-1. The Nuggets can be as optimistic as
they want but they still have to lace up their sneakers and prove it.
Denver is coming home off a long six game road trip as we caught this
tired team last game winning a 10* play on the Milwaukee Bucks +3.5,
an outright winner. Denver is a good team, but you just can't give
this great Laker team points.
Prediction:
Los Angeles Lakers - 109
Denver Nuggets - 97
Play On:
10* Los Angeles Lakers +3
NOTE: Game is on ESPN
CFB:
#23 West Virginia Mountaineers at #5 Cincinnati Bearcats
After a big 47-45 game last week against UConn, Cincinnati QB Zach
Collaros earned Big East Offensive Player of the Week honors after
breaking a Big East Conference record with 555 yards of total offense.
Collaros was 29-of-37 for 480 yards and a touchdown as well as rushing
for 75 yards and two more scores. The Bearcats spread-no-huddle
offense ranks third nationally with 482.6 yards per game. This does
not boast well for the Mountaineers secondary having already been lit
up by Uconn and Auburn for at least over 300 years in the air this
year. After Tony Pike went down on Oct 15th, Collaros added a new
dimension to Cincinnati’s offense by running for 132 yards and two
touchdowns on 10 carries in the 34-17 win. In three starts since then,
Collaros has gone 66 for 82 for 1,028 yards and eight touchdowns
without an interception. On Monday Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly named
a now healthy Pike as the starter for tonight's game but changed his
mind on Tuesday naming Collaros the starter. Pike will get some snaps
tonight and Kelly states that Pike will likely start Nov 27th against
Illinois. I see this as being even more incentive for Collaros to come
out firing and having a huge game to get the ball coach thinking
again. Last week things got scary for West Virginia as star running
back Noel Devine (Ranked #13 nationally) injured his ankle.
Quarterback Jarrett Brown also suffered a similar injury but coach
Bill Stewart said he’s optimistic both players will play this week.
“They both should be ready,” Stewart said. “Jarrett should be ready
quicker than Noel; I don’t know if Noel will play or not. He should if
treatments go well.” Cincinnati allowed 201 yards rushing last week.
If that happens tonight against West Virginia, it could be a big blow
to the Bearcats national title hopes. After a rare 45 point defensive
letdown last week look for the UC defense to really step it up
tonight. I have no doubt in my mind that Cincinnati will throw over
400 yards passing tonight. Need anymore incentive? The Bearcats look
for their first 10-0 start in school history tonight.
Prediction:
West Virginia - 10
Cincinnati - 37
Play On:
10* Cincinnati Bearcats -8.5 (play up to -10)
We have won 7 straight CFB Games Monitored!
NOTE: One of the advantages of being a client is the ability to get
these games early and get the best line.
CBB:
Cleveland St. Vikings at St. Bonaventure Bonnies
I look for the public to be all over Cleveland St. tonight after last
season’s first-round NCAA Tournament upset of Wake Forest. That will
be a feat this season after losing All-Conference players Cedric
Jackson and J’Nathan Bullock and two other important seniors. The
Bonnies however return four starters from last year’s 15-15 squad that
recorded their first .500 season in six years and a berth in the
Atlantic 10 Championship for the first time since the league expanded
to 14 teams in 2005. This team of then freshmen and newcomers will
enter this season more experienced, more confident and hungry to
improve the A-10. “There was negativity when I first took over but I
think the students, community and alumni are behind us again and, as
you know, Bonaventure basketball is extremely important up here.”
Coach Mark Schmidt sais on the improving perception of the program. I
expect a good home crowd tonight as the Bonnies win this game
outright.
Prediction:
N/A
Play On:
5* St. Bonaventure Bonnies +1
NOTE: I could see this game going to +2 or higher by gametime.
Kyle Bales 11/13
Reply With Quote