Halloween Hoops

2-3 yesterday but pulled ahead in the money column with a teaser...

I'll take the treats rather than the tricks tonight as the NBA heads into its 2nd night of the '07 - '08 season.  There are many expectations from tonights home teams and I think every home crowd will be pleased tonight with the exception of the Griz.

ATS teams this year that should win us some money are Toronto, Orlando, Atlanta and Seattle while the worst should be Miami, Golden State, San Antonio and Denver

My Sixers for some reason have high expectations this year... truth is they'll be the bottom feeders of the east.  Just like every year, they'll play to their opponents level.  For example, they'll stay with a team like San Antonio but get blown out by Memphis.  Too ify to bet sides, but totals are money... Tonight I like the over with Philly getting their youth and athleticism against the offensive prowess of the Raptors.  I have huge expectations from Toronto this year and for the line to be only 190 is beyond me... Over is 4-1 the last 5 meetings and I see no way the Sixers hold back the Raptors from reaching the 100 point mark.

Indiana and Washington have too many unanswered questions and they are just too unpredictable right now to put my money on, so this will be a no-play for me...

I think Cleveland will win tonight, so obviously I like them to cover 3.5 against a Dallas team that is missing a huge piece of the puzzle... Josh Howard is out and Devon George off the bench is doubtful... Lebron is on a mission this year after smelling the trophy and will come out blazin... He is good at firing up the troops and the crowd will be there to lift the team to a victory... Too much value to give King James in his own castle... Also, the over looks scrumptious with Eric "Slow" out.  Without him, the Cavs are a much faster team.  This also allows Daniel Gibson to get more clock and shoot the ball more and Pavlovic and Hughes will be able to run the floor and get the ball into Lebron's hands.  Cleveland should win tonight and the game should soar over the low total... Some trends to consider:

• Over is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings in Cleveland.
• Over is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings.
• Mavericks are 1-4 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
• Cavaliers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games.
• Cavaliers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as an underdog of 0.5-4.5.
• Cavaliers are 12-4 ATS in their last 16 games as a home underdog of 0.5-4.5.
• Cavaliers are 22-8 ATS in their last 30 games as an underdog.

New Orleans is healthy and ready to do what they wanted to do last year.  Stoy sauce is back and ready to go while Peterson, Paul, Chandler and Jackson all have something to prove: they are better than their .500 win percentage last year.  Their opposition tonight are the Sacramento Kings who will be without their star point guard Bibby and their defensive stopper and playmaker Artest while Brad Miller will play with a bad back and Mikki Moore is a game time decision...  IMO, Sacramento just doesn't have the personnel to hang with the Hornets on the road and I think they get blown out the box... but to be safe, I know what Kevin Martin can do at the end of games and there might be a back door cover, so I might put them in my teaser... Also, this should be another over due to the lack of defense from Sacramento.  Here are some trends to consider:

• Kings are 0-5 ATS in the last 5 meetings in New Orleans.

although the under has hit 7 of the last 9 in NO,

• Over is 6-1 in Kings last 7 games as an underdog.
• Over is 14-3-1 in Kings last 18 vs. NBA Southwest.
• Over is 4-1 in Kings last 5 overall.
• Over is 4-1 in Kings last 5 games as a road underdog.
• Over is 4-1 in Kings last 5 vs. Western Conference.
• Over is 20-8 in Kings last 28 games as a road underdog of 5.0-10.5.
• Over is 15-6-1 in Kings last 22 games as an underdog of 5.0-10.5.
• Over is 16-7 in Kings last 23 road games.
• Over is 7-1 in Hornets last 8 games as a favorite of 5.0-10.5.
• Over is 7-1 in Hornets last 8 games as a home favorite of 5.0-10.5.
• Over is 7-1 in Hornets last 8 games as a home favorite.
• Over is 5-1 in Hornets last 6 vs. Western Conference.
• Over is 9-2-1 in Hornets last 12 home games.
• Over is 13-3 in Hornets last 16 games as a favorite.
• Over is 24-9-2 in Hornets last 35 overall.

Denver and Seattle should be a shot-fest... Both teams will shoot the ball often and try to outscore each other (which is why the total is set so high), but I feel the total is set right on the money.  The over will probably be thrown in my teaser... The only defensive player out there will be Camby... Everyone else wants to score... AI is loose right now and Carmello is ready to be the recipient of several of AI's alley-oops.  Martin is back and ready to make up for lost time.  Without Blake working the ball around, most of the point decisions will be made by Iverson... and does he ever slow the ball up?  ah... no... his idea of working the ball around is throwing alley-oops and his teammates are great recipients.  Seattle has a sensational rookie who should get many looks tonight as will Wilkins, Wilcox, Watson, Ridnour and Collison... They are more than capable of putting up big numbers and there's no way they hold Denver from scoring 110.  Easy over... The trends show that the Under is the way to go, but those numbers are skewed because Denver played San Antonio in the playoffs and Seattle fell apart at the end of the year.  Here are the more accurate trends to consider:

• Over is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings in Denver.
• Over is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings.

Other notable points are that NJ should win tonight against Chicago - age and experience over youthful talent (plus Nocioni and Wallace are banged up)... San Antonio should crush Memphis... and Washington with a healthy squad (finally) should beat a hurt Indiana team that lists O'Neal and Murphy as doubtful.  Diogu and Granger are impressive, but Arenas and Jamison should lead the Wiz to victory...

Best of luck tonight everyone

Thoughts are more than welcome as I narrow down my picks for tonight

Didn't know that Pav was not playing tonight, so now I must reevaluate the shituation.  Has to be a no play for me due to too many unknowns... I was thinking of taking Dirk -34.5 in points + rebounds due to Howard being out because Dirk will have to score alittle bit more and rebound more.  Other than that, I would tease Cleveland with the extra points...

Here are my picks:

Philadelphia +7 vs Toronto
Philadelphia / Toronto Over 190
Washington -3 vs Indiana - Pacers are weak without O'Neal
Sacramento / NO Over 190
Denver / Seattle Over 216

my teaser play:

Raptors(Toronto) 10/31/07(19:10 ET) Over 187

Bucks(Milwaukee) Magic(Orlando) 10/31/07(19:10 ET) Magic(Orlando) -2.5

Kings(Sacramento) Hornets(NewOrleans) 10/31/07(20:10 ET) Over 186.5

Mavericks(Dallas) Cavaliers(Cleveland) 10/31/07(20:10 ET) Cavaliers(Cleveland) +8

Sonics(Seattle) Nuggets(Denver) 10/31/07(22:40 ET) Over 212

Spurs(SanAntonio) Grizzlies(Memphis) 10/31/07(20:10 ET) Spurs(SanAntonio) -2

also parlayed ML Spurs, Magic, Nuggets, Hornets and Raptors

adding
Denver / Seattle Over 111 for the 1st half

adding yet another pick...

Washington / Indiana Under 205

Some good trends to back my Wiz pick and the under

• Wizards are 4-1-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.
• Under is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings in Indiana.
• Road team is 4-1-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.

opps, did it again... that's my wife's sign-on... aint she cute...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN AND BEST OF LUCK EVERYONE

ok, i guess I can no longer post... it signs me in and out with her sign-on.  wierd... must be halloween for sure and a full moon...

Hey I look good too but my picture just isn't showing me justice...
what do you think?

5-3 for Halloween for a 7-6 overall start... in the + column in dough