I Am Legion

Full disclosure: I wrote most of this before the Legion of Doom made a mockery of an Orlando Magic team that will probably win 60 games this year...

It would be unwise to draw any long-term conclusions from the first game of the season. But after the first two games? Bring on the predictions! The Legion of Doom struggled in an opening night loss to the Celtics, being thoroughly outplayed and seemingly lucky to be within eight at the final buzzer. They dispatched the outmatched 76ers the following night but still looked disjointed in a ten-point win. After seeing these two games, I have reached a conclusion; the Legion will win the 2010-2011 NBA championship. Easily.

Some NBA "experts" have voiced a number of concerns about the team that will become the NBA’s next dynasty. Let’s go through them individually.

This is Definitely a Lock (Stock and Two Smoking Barrels)

I went 1-1 in my previous locks. Miami easily handled the 76ers but the Timberwolves lost to the Tyreke Evans-less Kings. What threw me off? I forgot to take into account the complete incompetency of the Minnesota oraganization. I predicted that Kevin Love would have a big game but he only managed 11 points and 10 rebounds. What's that? He only paid 24 minutes? And Darko and Anthony Tolliver played a combined 52 minutes? Of course they did. With their one point loss, Minnesota did take an early lead for the best odds at drafting number one next summer. Maybe that's the plan. I hear there will be a couple excellent points guards available. KAAHNNNNN! Onto today's picks (once against lines courtesy of Sports Book)...

Magic over LEGION OF DOOM at (+140) and
Cavaliers over RAPTORS at (+150)

Both the away teams are better basketball teams (currently) than their respective hosts. One win out of two and I make a hypothetical profit. My three minutes of research makes this seem like a logical play. Go forth and take it to the bank.

It's About The Journey- Don't Stop Believing

I love statistics. I have always loved statistics. I loved statistics so much as a kid that in fourth grade I bought a Fantasy Football magazine with leftover birthday money and created a two-man league. I calculated the weekly scoring with box scores from the Monday newspaper and, armed with the knowledge of experts at draft time, assembled a team that went 16-0-1 against my dad. It was clear in my nine-year-old mind that I had quickly and thoroughly mastered the intricacies of football statistics and, emboldened by my success, I began branching out to other sports. I soon came across the basketball book The Experts Picks: Basketball’s Best 50 Players in the Last 50 Years. There were charts, career statistics and organized rankings of the greatest players of all-time. As a child, I could not imagine a player superior to Michael Jordan and the book validated that opinion with a number one ranking for His Airness. Satisfied with the opinions of these “experts”, I devoured the book and its’ statistics and was later inspired enough to make my own attempt at ranking every starter in the league by position with a very simplistic version of PER (okay, really I just totaled points, rebounds and assists per game). I adjusted the list for defensive contributions (or for my own personal whims and completely arbitrary reasons) where necessary and thought myself the undisputed authority on everything about the NBA. And among the other pre-teen boys on the playground, I certainly was. How little did I know…

Lock It Down 10/27

A real post? No. But since the NBA season is all tipped off those (That's right...those. Plural. As in multiple posts. Nice.) will be coming later tonight. I am here to present my hypothetical locks of the night. The hypothetical is included because I have no disposable income and gambling is illegal. But the locks are real. Very real. They say that daily gambling on individual NBA games is just about impossible to turn a profit on. I'm here to prove them wrong (but probably won't). Tonight's picks (lines courtesy of SportsBook)...

Legion of Doom -7.5 over PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

Jason Kapono is starting for the 76ers. That's really all the information one needs but I'll go slightly more in-depth. Jrue Holiday and Spencer Hawes won't be able to take advantage of the Legion's weaknesses like Rondo and the Boston frontcourt did last night. Dwyane Wade will play better with a game under his belt. LeBron will be pissed. The 76ers aren't nearly as strong as Boston defensively. Back-to-back games shouldn't be an issue this early in the season. LoD in a rout.

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES -3.5 over Sacramento Kings

Tyreke Evans' suspension is the driving force behind this pick. Get it? Cause he was suspended for driving 120 mph? Anyway, I believe in the Timberwolves. Or, at least, I believe that Kevin Love will outplay rookie Demarcus Cousins and that the Kings cannot match up without their best player. It's in Minnesota and I think the Wolves carry over their good play from preseason. At least for a night.

"And I was born a ramlin' gamblin' man" Bob Seger in Ramblin' Gamblin' Man