I like dunks. You should, too. Dunks involve cool things like jumping really high and cupcakes. Blake Griffin has yet to incorporate any baked goods into his around-the-rim repertoire but he already has 90 dunks in his first 39 games. It would have been an upset for anyone to dislodge Dwight Howard from the top spot of the dunk leaderboard but it's shocking that the new leader looks like the marginally cooler stepbrother of Brian Scalabrine. Griffin's very un-Scalabrinesque play has been the driving force behind the Clippers 10-4 record over their last 14 games. He extended his streak of consecutive double-doubles to 26 games last night in a victory over the (two-time defending champion) Lakers. However, the Clippers victory was more about a massive outside shooting advantage than a standout performance from Griffin and, indeed, his string of 20 point-10 rebound games was snapped at 14. Despite poor games from each player, the matchup between Griffin and Pau Gasol was the most interesting subplot to a surprisingly dull game. They are the two best non-German power forwards in the Western Conference but produce in very different ways. In an increasingly homogeneous NBA world, this matchup presented a contrast of styles rarely seen among elite players.
January 17, 2011
Welcome Back Kotter
Happy Martin Luther King Day! Let's fake gamble! That's what I call an intro!
Dallas Mavericks (-5) OVER DETROIT PISTONS (-110)
Dirk is back. Tyson Chandler is back. I am not impressed with Detroit's wins over Toronto and Sacramento. Dallas has been excellent on the road this season (with Dirk). Those are all logical arguments. But mostly this pick makes a Pistons game watchable for more than the possibility that Tayshaun Prince will punch John Kuester in the face.
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (-7) OVER New Jersey Nets (-110)
The Nets are struggling. It's possible that Brook Lopez infected the team with his leftover mono but it appears to be more of a case of Sasha Vujacicitis. Nasty stuff, that. Golden State has been playing well at home and has sweet jerseys. That's good enough for me.
Oklahoma City Thunder (+4.5) OVER LOS ANGELES LAKERS (-110)
Am I making like Harry Potter here and getting my anti-jinx on? Potentially. But the Lakers have struggled matching up with athletic teams this year and the Thunder are all about the running and the jumping and the dunking. While the Lakers have 30 wins this season, the best of these was a solid home victory over the Knicks. Not exactly worldbeaters, here.
"And I was born a ramlin' gamblin' man" Bob Seger in Ramblin' Gamblin' Man
Season Locks: 8-5-1
Dallas Mavericks (-5) OVER DETROIT PISTONS (-110)
Dirk is back. Tyson Chandler is back. I am not impressed with Detroit's wins over Toronto and Sacramento. Dallas has been excellent on the road this season (with Dirk). Those are all logical arguments. But mostly this pick makes a Pistons game watchable for more than the possibility that Tayshaun Prince will punch John Kuester in the face.
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (-7) OVER New Jersey Nets (-110)
The Nets are struggling. It's possible that Brook Lopez infected the team with his leftover mono but it appears to be more of a case of Sasha Vujacicitis. Nasty stuff, that. Golden State has been playing well at home and has sweet jerseys. That's good enough for me.
Oklahoma City Thunder (+4.5) OVER LOS ANGELES LAKERS (-110)
Am I making like Harry Potter here and getting my anti-jinx on? Potentially. But the Lakers have struggled matching up with athletic teams this year and the Thunder are all about the running and the jumping and the dunking. While the Lakers have 30 wins this season, the best of these was a solid home victory over the Knicks. Not exactly worldbeaters, here.
"And I was born a ramlin' gamblin' man" Bob Seger in Ramblin' Gamblin' Man
Season Locks: 8-5-1
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