Figures

   Of course the one time I brag about how good I am going to do with my picks, the one sure thing ends up not coming through and I end up with a loss on the very first day of the week. I wouldn't mind so much if it came a little later in the week or if  there were like 12 games today instead of 4, and of those 4 pretty much all 4 of them seemed to be an easy selection, you could argue the Rockets v. Lakers would be close (which it is Lakers up by 2 with 11 seconds left right now as I am typing this.) and like I said yesterday reguardless of all the injuries on Portland they have been playing pretty good but if they are gunna win they would need a huge game outta Aldrige, which they got and they would need Parker to be a non factor, which he was. Aldrige had a career high 40 points 11 boards 2 dimes 3 steals and 1 block, Parker on the other hand had only 6 points 2 boards and 4 dimes, he went 3-11 from the field I hope this was a one time thing because if he can't produce then the Spurs are in big trouble, as I mention earlier in the year when Parker struggled for like 3 or 4 games so did the Spurs big time.

    The Lakers and Rockets are now in OT, Bynum is out again with what I believe is some type of knee injury I think its a bruised knee but I am not 100% on that. With or with out him in the lineup the Lakers need Pau to step up and start to play aggressively, I wouldn't mind seeing him focus a lot more on grabbing boards then on him trying to be the teams leading scorer, obviously he can easily do both but right now I think the Lakers would benefit more from him giving them second chances on the offensive glass or not letting teams get second chance points on them. The Lakers have plenty of other scorers I know that right now a few of them aren't playing anywhere near where they should be, but that doesn't mean they won't. Like I was saying though I really wish Gasol would focus a lot more on defense and rebounds cause that is really what the Lakers need right now, espeically with Bynum out they are gunna really need Pau to step up. Artest is another person who can be a great defensive player but this season just might be one of those off years for him, everyone has them no one is perfect all the time, but if the Lakers are gunna win their 3rd straight they will need him to be at his best there is no doubt about that. The reason I think the Lakers have such a good shot at 3-peating is not because I don't like the Celtic and it's not because the Celtics can't beat the Lakers, it has more to do with the strength of the East vs. the West, the Celtics will have to give it everything they have to win the East I really think that the Bulls will give them everything they have yet again, I think we are in for another great 7 game series when those 2 teams meet in the playoff. If in fact they do meet, because like I said the East is so stacked with the Celtics the Bulls the Heat the Magic the Hawks and the Knicks, where as in the West all the Lakers really have to worry about are the Spurs the Mav's the Thunder and the Hornets. All of whom are good but its still not nearly as tough a road as the East. I think the Celtics are deep but they are also old and I think it will be a huge test for them to get through the East to make it to the finals, if and when they do I think they will be much more wore out then the Lakers and that would be a huge edge for the Lakers.

    Now I will go over my picks for tomorrow in hopes for a perfect day, which would be huge since there are 12 games tomorrow. So here we go Toronto travels to ATL to face the Hawks, as you know I really like what the Hawks are doing this year I think they have improved since last year and I am picking them to bring home the W tomorrow but I am really waiting for the playoff to see how much they have improved over the past year and if they will make me look smart when I start picking them to pull upsets come playoff time. The Pacers are going to Cleveland to try and extend the Cav's losing streak, and I believe they will do just that, they are 1-0 under their new coach and I look for them to be 2-0 under him after tomorrows game vs. the Cav's, I think Granger will continue to have a great year and lead the Pacers to win in Cleveland, the only good thing the Cav's have right now is Jamison but he can't do it by himself he won't be able to put up enough points to beat the Pacers himself. The Sixers travel to play the newly focused Nets, fresh off a win over the Nuggets the Nets are in high spirits but I have said this before and I will say it again, I think the Sixers are really underrated and I really like their second half schedule I am taking them to win on the road here, and to really pick it up in the second half of their season. The Mav's have a tough road game tomorrow against the Knicks but I think with the Mav's are playing really well right now, getting the best out of Chandler and I am hoping Dirk is finally back to normal and last game wasn't just a flash of his old self, now that the Mav's finally playing hard I really think they are going to be tough to beat and that is why I am taking them to beat the Knicks tomorrow. The Bobcat travel to play the Pistons and while the Pistons have been playing great this year everytime I pick against the Bobcats they win, but the way Augustin and Diaw have been playing these last few games I am really worried about the Bobcats, plus the Pistons are a much better team now then they were at the start of the season I will go with the home team and take the Pistons to beat the Bobcats. The Grizzlies play the T-Wolves and while the T-Wolves have two very exciting players I still really like this Memphis team I really am looking for them to make a strong turn around here in the second half of the season they have the talent to be a great team especially the way Gasol has been playing lately if he can keep scoring in the 20's every night with the other weapons they have they are gunna be a good team, I will take them on the road to beat Kevin Love and the T-Wolves. The best game of the night features the Hornets v. the Thunder in OKC, the Thunder coming off a really tough loss to the Heat I know the Thunder are gunna come out strong looking to prove something, and they can do that with a win tomorrow the Hornets are a good team and would be an impressive win for the Thunder a win they need right now and a win I know they will get on their home court, KD will have a huge night and the Thunder will have a big win. The Trailblazers travel to play the Nuggets fresh off their win against the Spurs the Blazers have to be feeling great although they are not at home tonight and I think Billups will have a great game as will Melo which will be to much for the Blazers to handle with the only true scorer they have left being Aldrige I think it will be tough for them to beat a team like the Nuggets who often put up at least 110 a game if not 120. That is why I am taking the home team, that and they are coming off a tough loss to the Nets a game they should have won, but they didn't get great play from many people other then Melo. The Bucks play the Suns in Phoenix where Nash is having a great year Frye is also playing great for the Sun's and I think those 2 will be a huge factor in the win tomorrow against the visiting Bucks. The Rockets travel the play the Jazz in Utah where the Jazz are a much better team then they are if they have to play on the road. That being said the Rockets are a highly underrated team and I think they are gunna go into Utah and steal a win right out from under the struggling Jazz. The Bulls travel the L.A. to play the Clippers while the Clippers are great at home this season I don't know if without their leading scorer they will be able to beat a team as good as the Bulls are right now. If Griffin and Jordan have great games then maybe the Clippers have a chance but I am talking GREAT games, Blake will need at least 30 and Jordan at least 20 (and that won't happen trust me.) I look for the Bulls to get a win v. the Clippers despite how hot the Clippers are as of late and despite how good they are at home I think the Bulls are really starting to get focused and ready to finish strong throughout the second half and be at their peak for the playoffs. That is all I got as far as the NBA goes for tonight.

    Today the Rays introduced Manny and Damon, I realize that the Rays lost a lot of their offense this off season but they just might have lost more on the defensive front if you look at it, and while they did pick up some big name players most of which are on the back end of their prime if not already out of their prime. Yes I do believe Manny still has plenty of hitting left in him but I think the Rays really took a step back this year, especially when you consider all the moves the Sox and Yankees (not so much but still) made in this offseason. I do not see the Rays being as big of factor as they were last year, yeah they still have decent pitching but they have a lot riding on the guys they have brought in we will see how it turns out for them, but I don't see it ending well in Tampa.

    One quick Super Bowl note here, I was thinking that it is really similar to the last SuperBowl that the Steelers won. Only that the Packers have a much better defense then the Cardinals did, and I think they have even better wide outs then that Cardinals team did as well. I think this is going to be a great game as was the last Super Bowl the Steelers were in, I know I said that the Packer O-Line is going to show up big on Super Bowl Sunday and win the battle up front and create some big holes and give Rodgers some time to throw. BUT if they do not I look for Rodgers to scramble just as good as he has been all season, I think he will have a much better game this week then he did two weeks ago. I don't know how much of it was the weather or maybe just that those two teams know each other so well its tough for him to really get settled in or maybe versus a different team he has a few tricks he know will work and they don't work against a team you play twice a year every year. But I look for Rodgers to have an amazing night as well as the Packers defense, but Big Ben always finds a way to sneak outta there with the W but I think we still have a slight edge and I think he will be surprised at how well we wrap him up and how well we contain him on the defensive end and really take away the scramble and run or scramble and pass plays that he is so good at, and I think once we shut that down he will have to start taking shots down field maybe he doesn't wanna take or maybe force a throw he doesn't want to and that might just be the difference maker, but that all remains to be seen. Thats all I got for tonight check back in tomorrow mid day I will have some more football and College hoops.