Return Of The Mack

Clippers pick tonight and Mack is back.

I started with $100, doubled the money; bet it all on the next game, doubled again; took out the original $100 and bet the remaining on the Clippers at -5.5 and won again.

So now I have a total of $700 that was $100 in the start of the day today.  

Hey, what happened to my new avatar? Sheesh...

Testing...

Testing...

Thanks for your input.

So... you didn't see any value in the big changes for Dall, LAC and LAL? Or the continuity of OKC? Absolutely loved the card.

..well,u went 4-0 with those lines.

Welcome back Mak

Incredible ... been following your threads for years and I didn´t seen you postly this awful long time.
Great that your back and as always awesome write-ups 
Best of luck and happy holidays

 BEST READ ON THE NBA

ttt

Gents, had a good start to the NBA season last night.  Two games went down to the wire and finished in exiting fashion, technical fouls were called once again and KG choked a bitch at the end of the game....ahh it’s good to have the NBA back, damn I missed it.
3 games have yet to post a spread, once they show I will share my thoughts on them as well.  As of now only two plays but I am looking to add at least one more, not going to push it if I don’t like anything.  Slow and steady wins the race.

Really appreciate all the well wishes and “welcome back Maks”, makes me feel good to be back amongst my covers brothers.  I plan to keep this thread open for 1 or 2 more days, I want to reply to all those that I haven’t already.  Once again I really appreciate all the posts, will get to each of them as soon as I can.  As always gents, best of luck on today’s slate.  Kwaheri from Kenya - - - MAK

MONDAY DECEMBER 26TH

NEW JERSEY NETS @ WASHINGTON WIZARDS

PLAY: NO PLAY (Lean Wizards – 4.0 -120)

I touted the New Jersey Nets as the worst roster in the NBA, and now with the loss of Brook Lopez until Early February, this team is absolutely the worst overall team in terms of talent and roster depth.  Without their starting 5, Johan Petro will assume the starting centre role.  Petro had a decent game in his last preseason stint.  He grabbed 10 boards and put in 9 points.  A near double double.  But in stretch of the imagination is Petro a starting big man in this league, Petro on most teams would actually be the 3rd string centre.  Now with him as a starter, it leaves absolutely no one to back him up.  New Jersey does not have a single legitimate 5 man on the roster to back up Petro; this could prove detrimental to the Nets tonight as they have to face one of the up-and-coming big men in the NBA in JaVale McGee.  Although his maturity is always in question, no one can doubt the raw talent he possesses.  Andre Blatche is questionable for this game, he is another talented young big with a lot of skill but once again maturity is key to his progression, if he does not suit up, I suspect young stud Trevor Booker to take his place at power forward.  At 6’8 he possesses immense rebounding skill for his size.  He is undersized at the 4 position but doesn’t have the attributes to play the small forward role therefore he will assume the position at least defensively at the 4 spot.  The problem here is he will have to face one of the better rebounders in the NBA in Kris Kardashian.  Without Hump, this Nets team wouldn’t stand a chance of winning even one game this month.  Wall and Jordan Crawford will face off against DMW and Anthony Morrow.  Crawford and Morrow have very similar games and should offset each other tonight, Deron Williams is stronger, more talented, more experienced and a much more well rounded player than John Wall, Wall could exploit Deron with his quickness, but I have yet to see what Wall can really do against the top-tier point guards in the game.  I’m hoping to see some progression in his maturity and work ethic which should translate into his game this season.  Both benches for these lottery teams are scarce; they don’t leave much to be desired although the Wiz do have a few more serviceable players.  If Blatche plays and starts, the aforementioned Booker will come off the bench.  Nick Young was resigned due to his offensive talent and he can come of the bench on any given night and put up some decent offensive numbers.  Jan Vesley the rookie picked 6th overall in this year’s draft is a 6’11 power forward with some serious upside, Maurice Evans is veteran who can provide some stability to this young roster and Ronny Turiaf is another player who can fill the gaps down low.  On the flip side New Jersey has basically nothing going for them off the bench; MarShon Brooks, Gaines, Farmer, Idoka, Shawne Williams and Shelden Williams should all see a bit of time (for more info on these players read the Nets season preview) All in all everything points to a Wizards victory, but betting on two bottom dwellers to start the season is not very appealing to me.

 
MILWAUKEE BUCKS @ CHARLOTTE BOBCATS

PLAY: NO PLAY (Lean Bucks – 2 -110 & Under 181 -110) 
 
For those who know my style of betting, know I am not a totals guy.  Never have been and never will be, I rarely bet on over/under but this is a tempting one.  These two teams will end up as two of the worst offensive teams in the NBA, I think this total is well above what it should be.  I don’t really foresee any of these teams hitting the 90 mark especially with the rust of a long summer.  Key matchup to watch will be Captain Jack vs. Corey Maggatte.  Both traded for one another will go at it all night.  The difference is, unlike Charlotte, the Bucks have a more than capable defender to assume the position of Corey gets hot.  Mbah a Moute is one of the best all around defenders in the game of basketball, (if he does play, he may not due to a knee injury) he will play lock down defense and prevent Corey from doing what he does best which is attack the basket and draw contact.  I like the Bucks to take this game but the only issue I have are the variations of starting line-ups Scott Skiles could use.  At this point I have no idea who is going to start for this team and who will come off the bench.  They have a lot of 2,3,4 options and could go either way.  Bogut and Jennings will be the starting 1 and 5 for sure, I do believe Jackson will start as well but at the 2 or 3, I am not too sure.  That leavers either Delfino or Dunleavy as a starting two guard (since Delfino is out due to injury I am guessing Mike is in) Either Drew Gooden, Mbah a Moute, Ilyasova or Larry Saunders will start at the power forward spot.  A lot of unique players on this Bucks squad no doubt.  Charlotte has a very position heavy roster.  D.J and Kemba Walker will face off against Jennings and Beno Udrih; I give the advantage to the Bucks in that category.  In terms of big men, Charlotte is lost in that department, they have Diaw who will start at the 5 position and facing Bogut he will get crushed.  Diop is a guy who has the size to try and tame the Australian beast, but not the skill.  Rookie African Bismack Biyombo has a lot of raw skill and tremendous upside but I could be bias as I usually am when it comes to African players.  Tyrus Thomas is out once again with injury leaving just those 3 big men on Charlotte to handle the array of bigs the Bucks can place on the floor.  Charlotte just does not have the skill or roster depth to challenge the Bucks tonight, may make this a small wager eventually.

HOUSTON ROCKETS @ ORLANDO MAGIC

PLAY: NO PLAY (Lean None)

Don’t really like this game at all.  I think the Magic and Rockets have a very similar makeup in terms of their roster with of course once glaring difference, Superman.  Both have a roster and rotation that is 10 deep with Houston having slightly better players coming off the bench.  The back-to-back situation does scare me a bit; I think Houston can take advantage of that with their youth and exuberance.  They have enough big bodies to out on Dwight and enough fouls to go around ensuring he doesn’t dominate them in the paint all night.  The acquisition of Samuel Dalembert does help this team a lot, granted they overpaid for his services but they needed a legit 5 man on this roster.  I am very big on Jordan Hill this year (please read the Houston Rockets reason preview and projections for more info), he should have a big game, if he starts he may find it difficult to start off on Dwight but if he comes off the bench tonight he should be able to dominate any of the 4 men on the Orlando Magic with relative ease.  Lowry and Martin and very similar to Nelson and J-Rich except for the factor of fatigue, I think that may come into play tonight.  The big shallow spot for the Rockets is that of small forward, Chase Budinger is a good offensive player, but won’t be able to guard the best the NBA has to offer at the 3 position, luckily he will only have to worry about the dud that is Hedo tonight.  Ryan Anderson is the key to this Magic team, if he can somehow duplicate the success he had last night, even remotely so, the Magic will be just fine as long as they have Dwight.  I would give the slight favour to the Houston Bench with guys like Terence Williams, Cortney Lee, Johnny Flynn, Goran Dragic and Dalembert/Hill.  Orlando is in trouble tonight if they don’t bring their A game, tempting to lean the way of Houston, but will be skipping this one altogether.
      
TORONTO RAPTORS @ CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

PLAY: NO PLAY (Lean None)

Want to see the rotation implemented by my boys before a lay a penny on them but this is a game they know they have to win.  They won’t have many opportunities to 3.5 dogs on the road, usually they will probably be close to 7-9 against mid level teams.  Usually I would jump at the chance to back my boys against a sub-par team but I just don’t know if they have what it takes to down the Cavaliers in their home opener.  Cleveland fans are some of the most passionate in the league.  They have fans who will pack the arena to see this bottom dweller squad compete for yet another lottery pick.  Both teams are packed with youthful promise; I would be really surprised to see Byron Scott start Sessions over the number one pick overall.  Anthony Parker should have the assignment of guarding DeRozan which won’t be an easy task.  I am really hoping James Johnson does not start at the 3 position for the Raptors, I would love to see Gary Forbes get some time at that starting role.  Bargnani will be moved to his original position at the 4 and I am still unsure which way Dwayne Casey will go at the starting 5 spot.  Either Aaron Gray or Magloire will start for the Raps but they will find it difficult to compete with Verejao and Antawn.  Off the bench both have youthful exuberance; the Cavs will have Sessions, rookie Tristan Thompson, Omri Casspi, Ryan Hollins, Boobie Gibson, Eyenga and Samuels may get some time as well (please view season preview for more details on each player).  Raps will counter with Bayless, Ed Davis, Gary Forbes, Amir Johnson & Barbosa and I hope to god Rasual Butler does not play for my Raps.  Any way you look at it, both young teams will want to try very hard to start off the season on a high note, both teams realize that this is a game that is imperative to have, and that drive will guide both squads to compete tonight.  No play no lean, but you all know who I will be rooting for.
   
DETROIT PISTONS @ INDIANA PACERS

PLAY: NO PLAY (Lean: None)

Everything I want to say in this write-up is written in the season previews.  I have very strong feelings about both these teams, one team I have hatred for with extreme passion, the other team I think is going to be the sleeper of the year.  I want this game over and done with so I can back my sleeper early on this season.  If you are planning on betting on this game tonight I really suggest you take a minute and look for the Pistons and Pacers preview and projections.  Good luck either way you role.

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER @ MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES

PLAY: THUNDER – 5.0 -103

As you will read in the Minnesota preview and projections, I like this young team a lot, I think they have potential to progress this season and become one of the more entertaining teams to watch this year, that being said, this isn’t a playoff team nor will they be next year.  It will take another 2 years, 2 lottery picks and a few subtle trades to create the identity that this team needs to be a playoff squad.  Tonight they will face a team on 0 days rest.  The flight is a short one from OKC to Minny, just over an hour.  The only players on the Thunder that played over 30 minutes were Westbrook, Durant and Harden.  The youngest and most durable players on the team should not find it too difficult to overcome the first back-to-back of the year.  Perkins & Serge Ibaka please well under 30 minutes and should be fresh enough to handle the front-court load of Minnesota.  The only way Minnesota covers this game is if Kevin Love and Michael Beasley have monster offensive games, we all know Love is more than capable of putting up 20 pints and getting similar numbers in terms of rebounding, but Beasley’s preseason efforts were far from impressive and it will take him some time to shake off the rust.  Rubio and J.J Barea only played 1 preseason game apiece and it will also take them some time to get acclimated to the season, especially Rubio.  Pekovic and Darko will be the men to man the 5 position for Minny tonight, easy coverage for the new and improved Perkins as well as Collison and Nazr off the bench.  The rotation is set for OKC and has been set for quite some time, players know their roles and that “identity” is key to a team’s success.  The Tims are nowhere near creating an identity for their roster, they have an abundance of wing players and just too much positional talent.  Wayne Ellington, Wes Johnson, Anthony Randolph and even Luke Ridnour may all get time at the 2 spot.  Tolliver and Derrick Williams will fight for time at the 4 and maybe the 3, with sporadic minutes being given to 12 young impressionable youngsters who want to make an impact on the season from day one...that i my opinion is a recipe for disaster, especially against a well balanced team with clear cut rules and confidence off a win.  Thunder cover and go 2-0 on the young year.

4 UNITS SERGE “IBLOCKA” IBAKA - - -

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES @ SAN ANTONIO SPURS

PLAY: GRIZZLIES + 6.0 -120

I understand the aspect of the revenge factor, it is actually a variable that is very important in all sports capping, most especially NBA basketball, but sometimes revenge can be out shadowed by matchups in basketball.  There was one reason and one reason only your boy Mak put a series wager on the Grizzlies to upset the best team in the West last year, that was matchups.  The Grizzlies own the Spurs, their roster is basically designed to compete with the Spurs.  Memphis has the size to matchup with the Spurs, the speed, the low block presence on offense and most importantly they can rebound with San Antonio which man teams just can’t do. In the playoffs, every time the Spurs tried to speed up the game, the Grizzlies, instead of trying to slow them down, would jack up the pace and run over them.  Every time coach Pop tried to slow the game down, the Griz would annihilate them in the half-court game and consistency feed Zach Randolph.  He commanded consisted double coverage and easily kicked out to shooters, when shooters were not hitting shots, Lionel Hollis would instruct the ball to go down low to marc Gasol instead, and being the “Arvydas Sabonis” big man passer that he is, he easily found the gutting Sam Young or Tony Allen en route to an easy bucket up close.  When all else failed, all the Griz did was feed it to Zach and let him go one on one, he is by far one of the best offensive isolation power forwards in the game of basketball.  There was nothing the Spurs could do the negate the sheer size, strength and ability of the twin towers.  Tonight, with the return of Rudy Gay, it will be even more difficult to stop this squad.  This allows Sam Young to come off the bench and create even more depth than they had last year.  Tony Allen and Mike Conley will battle with Tony and Manu all game long.  The season-ending injury for Darell Arthur caused the Griz to go out and get a young talented forward by the name of Dante Cunningham, a very long athletic forward who has yet to get an opportunity in the NBA to reall show his skill.  They also recently traded Vasquez to New Orleans and got another young forward Quincy Pondextor who has 14 pts and 12 boards against the Griz in a preseason game on the 21st of December, this negates the loss of Arthur in my opinion.  Pargo and Mayo will be the backup guards for Memphis but I suspect that tonight, the starters for the Griz will log heavy minutes.  The Spurs bench is not all that impressive, a lot of unproven NBA talent.  Apart from Ford, Bonner and Splitter, I am not all that impressed with the San An role players who I think will have to play a big role in order to keep the big three for the Spurs fresh enough for the post season.  Yes revenge factor is clearly evident tonight, but the Grizzlies want to go out and prove to the world that it wasn’t a fluke, that they are the real deal, and tonight, in my opinion, they will want it just as much as the San Antonio Spurs.  Pride vs. Pride....rumble in the jungle baby.

4 UNITS RUDY “DON’T CALL ME” GAY - - -

NEW ORLEANS HORNETS @ PHOENIX SUNS

PLAY: NO PLAY (Lean Hornets + 7)

 The Phoenix Suns are going to be a major disappointment this year (please read the team preview for more info), they just do not have what it takes to compete in the Western Conference this year and the fact that they at 7 point favourites at home to anyone is laughable in my opinion.  The only reason I am not pounding on a westerns team being 7 point dogs in Arizona is well....because it’s the Hornets.  Jack is suspended due to reckless driving and will not be playing in this game, New Orleans desperately needed a backup point and they got it by acquiring Vasquez from Memphis.  They lost out on a talented young forward but needed to make this trade out of sheer necessity.  He will start tonight in the back-court with Eric Gordon.  They will go head-to-head with Steven Nash and in all likelihood Jared Dudley should be the starting 2 man for the Suns this year.  Dudley is a very underrated defender which is what scares me about taking the Hornets here, without offensive production from Eric Gordon it will be difficult for New Orleans to cover the spread.  The front court of the Hornets is more impressive in my opinion then that of the Suns.  Kaman, Okafor and Ariza solidify a defensive front-court and should cause trouble for a lot of NBA teams.  Robin Lopez, Channing Frye and Grant Hill are not the most impressive front-court in the league by any stretch of the imagination.  Both benches are quite shallow, the Hornets will have Aminu, Jason Smith, Carl Landry and Marco all getting time.  Phoenix will counter with Shannon Brown, Hakim Warrick, Josh Childress Price, Telfair and Gortat.  I would give the slight lean to the Suns bench.  Either way this is not a game I will be betting on, but if the Suns continue to garner this type of respect to begin the season, I’m going to take advantage and fade them early and often.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS @ PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS

PLAY: NO PLAY (Lean None)

Two very similar teams in terms of the makeup of their roster, the only difference is one team stands a good chance of making the playoffs, the other will find it very difficult and only because of the conferences they play in, otherwise I consider both these teams good NBA ball clubs.  I have no interest in playing this game at all, I want to see the progression of some of the players on Philly before I decide where I place them in the grand scheme of things.  If anyone is interested in betting this game, please read the in depth team previews and projections I created.  Good luck either way.

welcome back Mak...gL this year

Mak, good to see ya around here again. missed alot of your knowledge late last season but it has led me to do this research myself. i love it and look forward to this NBA season.

great job with the team by team writeups. i think deep benches will be more important than ever this year due to the scheduling and cramming of games. anyways, thnx for sharing your thoughts and good luck this season.

welcome back mak,

which lines don't you have, as of 11:00 am pacific time, LV Hilton opened bulls -7/195, was 6.5/ down to 192.5, saw one book had 192, mavs opened 3.5/ 204, saw a couple 4's out there, lakers opened 2.5/198, saw two others wiyh 197. hope this helps you.

lou

Good to see ya back Mak  I was on both of those before I read your thread  You just confirmed it for me

Welcome back Mak and glad to hear that Kenya is to your liking........love both your leans today - NJ are a straight fade and your reasoning on the Bucks Under is compelling.

GL mate!

Thanks for your posts gents, short on time.  Want to get 20 winks in before I get up to watch the games (gotta keep in mind that Kenya is 8 hours ahead of eastern standard time).  Going with 3 picks tonight, not gonna bite on any of the leans although it is tempting.  Would rather test the landscape of the league before I play too much too soon.  Will be back later tonight, wish you all the best of luck.  Peace out - - - MAK

FINAL CARD FOR MONDAY DECEMBER 26TH

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES + 6 -120 - - - 4 UNITS
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER - 5 -103 - - - 4 UNITS
CHICAGO BULLS - 6 -120 - - - 4 UNITS

LEANS (NO PLAYS)

MILWAUKEE BUCKS - 3.0 -110
WASHINGTON WIZARDS - 3.0 -120
DALLAS MAVERICKS 1ST QUARTER -1.5 -115
BUCKS@CATS UNDER 181 -110

BOL get that

Fantastic stuff mak, very very excited to have you back