Season Started.

2007 NBA Draft Class... One to remember. 

Ok, so the season has finally kicked off and we have seen an impressive debut by Blake Griffin and now a 29 point, 9 dime game by Wall. Not to mention Rondo's superb Triple double and the new powerhouse Heat destroying Orlando to settle the Florida debate.

So in the first few days of the season I have become quiet lazy haven't really been too bothered to write blog entries. Why you ask? well I am not a journalist, I don't have insider information on post and I can't get any inside scoops. My blog post's are generally rehashing of other great NBA blogs which is not cool.

So I am taking a completely different angle with this site.

I am going to give it a little edge. I will still write brief info about the NBA, who is killing it and who isn't etc, but I am going to focus on a gambling side orientation to games. What I mean is looking at the site Betfair and looking at the handicaps on games and making recommendations to what I think is a good bet. I am going to test it out for a month or so. If I suck, then the dream is over, but I usually have a good head with things like this.......So I think it is worth a shot.


So let's start with my first couple of picks for the season....

Miami @ New Jersey
New Jersey have got 25% of their last seasons wins already going 2-0. But they are due for a wake up call, the heat have been given a 8.5 point handicap and I think they can cruise past it. They showed they are relentless against Orlando with a 20 point plus win and the same will continue against The Nets. The $1.92 on offer for Miami -8.5 is too good to refuse.

Utah @ OKCThe Stadium of Sound is a fortress. Utah have gone 0-2 and OKC the opposite. After less than impressive games by Utah's front court they don't look like they will be able to pick it up against one of the top seeds in the west. Take OKC -6 @ 1.90. This is a little bit of a rocky bet, if you are choosing one of the two take the Miami bet, but I stand by both.

Happy Punting.

LBJ Shut up.

So I have woken up on this grey morning to see the self titled 'King' has continued his free fall in the public's eye with a rash comment that I'm sure his PR team will be kicking themselves over. When asked about why the public took such a negative view towards 'the decision' segment, Lebron answered “It’s always, you know, a race factor.”

Come on Lebron, put yourself in the shoes of every fan watching 'The Decision'. In the back of our minds we were thinking, what a good guy this Lebron is, he is going to stay true to the die hard fans of Cleveland and at the same time raise a nice $3 million dollars for a charity. Win Win. Then he goes on air and publicly urinates on every Cleveland fan's hopes and dreams of a maiden championship. The couldn't believe it, their poster child that grew up in the small town of Akron was doing this to them, and on TV. So that explains the Clevelanders pains, now why every other fan was disappointed.

Over the past 30 years we have enjoyed champions, MJ, Larry, Magic and Kobe to name a few. The one common strain between these guys is that they have shown loyalty towards their teams and have stayed true. It took MJ seven years to win his first ring. Sure you can win ring's in different teams and be a notable player, but you will never be seen in the same light (Shaq), don't get me wrong I love Shaq but he is not a great, more of a personality of the game now.

So the reason I think the non Cleveland fans were angered was not because the Miami heat look like they can go and win five or more championships in the next decade but because they wanted to see the potential Lebron had to become a champion, someone noted down in history as a 'Great'. The Decision was effectively him giving up, saying I cant win a championship in Cleveland, I need someone to help me, actually I need two all stars to help me. Respect is a term thrown around a lot in the NBA. He has lost all respect from me.

If you were a Heat fan pre the July 8 Decision, then congrats. You just lucked out big time. But you are going to have to prove it to me because the amount of bandwagon Miami fans that are about to come out of the woodwork in Florida is going to be ridiculous.


RIP Lebron. Your dead to me.

                                                     Delonte West is now my favourite player

Surprise Package.

It's generally a hard task to predict a season's outcome and one that I try to avoid. Although this year I have this itching suspicion that the Minnesota Timberwolves are going to be that surprise package that can creep into the playoffs.

I know they are coming of a shocking season sitting near the pits of the West but they are still in a rebuilding faze launched by KG's departure 4 years ago and the team has done some descent recruitment in the offseason.

Luck box Michael Beasely has been brought into the team from Miami and Luke Ridnour from the Bucks. Now for all those Wolves fans out there I hope Beasely can reach his potential, this is a guy that can easily average a double double, but has issues getting his head around the game. In his last season in Miami the coach was so adamant he gets swept away on the court that he would bench him for the last quarter. Luke Ridnour is a player who is getting on a bit now, but will provide solid minutes off the bench and be a great player for Jonny Flynn to learn from.

One guy who has been seemingly ignored by the Wolves is Kevin Love, this guys is a superstar. Possibly the best rebounder in the game and someone who possesses a very high basketball IQ. That being said the guy has only averaged 26 minutes per game, and in that time he has been averaging a double double!!. Lets hope the management wake up and realise who they have on their roster and let him boom.

All in all the Timberwolves have had an optimistic offseason. They have managed to create a mini-three in Minnesota (Flynn, Love and Beasley) and that stands as something to get the fans excited about because we know they have all been dreaming about the KG days and when their next MVP will come.

I'm not saying these guys are going to come and win the comp, but I do think they are going to frustrate a lot of teams, at least double their wins from last season and with a good draft pick they might be thrown back in to the mix over the next few years.

The Toughest Nice Guy.

Ron Artest was brought into the LA Lakers to inflict a defensive presence. We all know defence wins championships and after being the recipient of the defensive player of the year award in 2004, he was known as an NBA tough guy. LA was a fresh breath of air for Ron, where he could leave his mistake ridden past behind. 

Ron Ron definitely etched his name into finals history with his performance in game 7. With 20 points and a huge three pointer down the line, the defensive player showed he can match it on the other end too. 

Although it sounds like it, I'm not writing this post to praise Ron's basketball skill. He just makes me laugh so much. After he won his first ring in 11 seasons of trying he became so drunk on emotions you really got to see the man inside the shell. 

             Watch this video and laugh, because I'm sure he will one day. 

You see the instantly childish, hilarious Ron praising his Psychiatrist? well it gets better Ron has gone from a head case to being the actual mental health spokesman. This is a big turn around for someone that told the media 5 years ago that if he was given medication he would "throw it in the garbage."

So for the topping on the cake! Ron Artest has now announced that he will be selling his championship ring in what he hopes to be a international auction. Where are the funds going to go? to put more psychologists, psychiatrists and therapists into schools.

"I'm never going to put it on" he said.

"You work so hard to get a ring, and now you have a chance to help more people than just yourself, instead of just satisfying yourself."

What a man. Funny, strange, silly? but definitely selfless. NBA players would kill for a ring, some risk being hated and others leave teams built around them, he refuses to even put it on in order to better others.

Good on you Ron!

The Face of the NBA.

The Oklahoma City Thunder is a blueprint of  the way to build up a franchise in a very short amount of time. All the way from their GM Sam Presti to their star studded line up on the court the organization is run amazingly. For a state mainly recognized for their college football the Thunder have now taken over.

I know Michael Jordan comparisons seem to be thrown around these days, but for the NBA's youngest scoring champion in Kevin Durant it can't be avoided. Durant sweats class in more ways than one. On the court he is humble, always putting his team before himself and off the court he is a soft spoken gentlemen. Barely one headline was raised this offseason when Durant went on with business and signed a 5 year contract extension worth a reported $86 million. No, he didn't need an absurd  30 minute ESPN special. He simply signed his contract and went on to help his country play in Turkey, unlike some.

The NBA's focus in the next season is going to shift to Durant and away from Lebron. After his ill advised "Decision" to go to Miami, OKC's Durant appears the perfect poster boy. Let's face it loyalty is a trait we want our kids to learn, we don't want them to adopt an egotistical personality and Durant is currently a perfectly marketable sportsman. With the majority of sports fans unhappy with Lebron's "Decision" it seems his gig being the NBA love child may be up.

OKC are definitely the bandwagon team of the last few years. They seem to be the Bulls of the 90's, it is very hard not to love them. This year they are more than capable of making a good title run. Although for this to happen they need some of the younger players such as Harden and Maynor to step up and help the superstars in KD and Westbrook. Putting aside some serious injuries expect them to make the West finals and make a serious game of it. Durant and Westbrook are gaining more and more experience as the days go. They are the future of the NBA and wow is it a bright one.

Come April and May lets hope we can see the Ford Centre packed to the rafters shouting BEAT LA!!

Will He Stay or Will He Go?

I am obviously talking about Melo. Over the past two months Melo has had a $65 million, 3 year contract on the table from the Nuggets. Instead he has gone about his business and been enjoying his offseason. It seems Carmelo has been caught up in the hype of a fresh start and a big team. (Miami)

Denver fans have had to endure similar emotions of Cleveland fans in the last 5 years, with a contending team just not putting the playoff puzzle together. It now seems they may also be dealt the same blow with their franchise player packing up and leaving.

Take what you want of this photo, the story behind it is this... someone on the interweb went to work and after a bit of magic on Photoshop tweeted it on Melo's Twitter, he saw it and then re posted it as his own Tweet. Interesting.

The best case scenario for Denver fans is obviously if Melo signs a contract today, but that isn't going to happen so if he hangs around till January, before the February trade deadline it can buy the team some time. The reason this could work is if the Nuggets have a hot start to the season it could change Anthony's mind about their title aspirations, on the other hand a shaky start could see him jump on the next Delta flight to Manhattan, I'm sure Spike Lee will shout him his ticket.

Nine Weeks To Go!

Lebron, you will always be Kobe's bitch.

So we are just around the corner of the start of what everyone is expecting to be one of the most watched seasons in a long time. After the biggest offseason in history Miami's big three has been formed, hatred has brewed and there is now a target on every player in a  Miami Heat Jersey.

Luckily for me the first team that get the chance to knock "the king" off his throne are the Boston Celtics. The season opening game at the TD Garden is sure to be an electrifying event. It will obviously be the first game for Boston since their heartbreak loss in game 7 to LA, but more so it will be a rival of the original big 3, vs the new big 3 in Bosh, Wade and James.

The key to this game is Rajon Rondo. After being cut from the USA team before the Fiba World's Rondo being the work horse he is would have had a lot of extra time to fine tune his jump shot. Expect him to continue his fine form and put up a double double to start the season.

The Miami Heat pose the question "Can championships be bought?" the answer..... probably. But are they as sweet as a championships earned through hard work, team play and good coaching? unlikely. Charles Barkley said that for every four championships Lebron wins in Miami it will be equivalent to one won in Cleveland. I think Miami will win a ring or two in the next five years, but it wont happen this year or the next.

My main issue is their inside game. I know Lebron is a powerful inside player that attracts attention but Bosh (104kg) is no centre and neither is 'The Z'. What happens when Dwight Howard (120 kg) matches up on him or Paul Gasol? (7ft 117kg). Bosh played well in Toronto but the Raptors didn't exactly have anyone else to pass the ball to.

It will be a great, long season. So hold on tight, I will try to post as much as I can.

Early prediction is....

West Finals: OKC vs LA
East Finals: Boston v Miami

Finals: LA to win it again in 6.