After last night's gutsy, exhilarating, come-from-behind, spread-covering win, which was happening concurrently with the "Lost" Angeles Lakers embarrassing home loss, I was ready to trade in my purple and gold and pledge my undying loyalty to the Mark Jackson culture in Oak Town. Unfortunately, I tweeted Kobe a promise last week that I wouldn't make the full conversion until he retires. He tweeted back, "Post, post, post. Gasol, Gasol, Gasol. Jesus DH - make your f-ing free throws." It's kind of a code we have. I knew what he meant.
Nonetheless, the conversion is imminent and my daughter will be spared the trans-generational sports brainwash inflicted upon me, and she will love all teams Northern Californian Bay Area. Or at least that's my trans-generational brainwash plan. She may hate sports all together, but I don't really see how that's possible when the San Francisco Giants pitching rotation is going to keep on winning World Series until she's in sixth grade. As for the Warriors, I want her to see Hold Everyone Else on Bench Back When Curry Makes a Shot Guy blossom into solid seventh or eighth man.
Does it look like a precarious time to jump ship on the Lakers? Sure. When you're pre-game focuses on how you're going to make up for the loss of the injured Steve Blake, your season has gone terribly, terribly wrong. For the record, however, this has been a process and will continue to be a process until the Black Mamba slithers in to his cave once and for all. I needed a point of closure and if Dwight Howard is going to stick around and be the next franchise player, I will have no problem saying good-bye.
But enough about me, how about those Warriors? How about Jarrett Jack going from First Half Turnover Goat to Second Half Scoring Hero. How about Steph Curry's ability to shake the cloak-like defense and traps, pick his spots, still shoot almost 50%, and dole out 11 dimes. And how about North Carolina head coach Roy Williams standing on the sidelines of his home basketball court (complete with paintings of fans on all four walls) saying "Well, gosh, that's the guy I thought I'd recruited," every time Harrison Barnes scored.
Oh, and how about those Knicks and Spurs. I guess. More importantly, how about the fact that we have four games on the schedule today, and Marco and I haven't had a losing day since the opening night. Not bad for a couple of football pseudo-gurus. Let's get to today's action.
POST-SEASON RECORD TO DATE: 13-9 ATS
CONFIDENCE EFFICIENCY RATING: 29/47 or .62
TOP CONFIDENCE PICKS THROUGH DAY 7: 6-1 ATS
Indiana Pacers (-2) over ATLANTA HAWKS: I think my analysis could best be summed up with the word "Duh." Why would the Hawks, with the vacation light at the end of the tunnel blinding them in both eyes, want to take this series back to Indy? Confidence Rating: 4
See you later, Josh.
CHICAGO BULLS (-2.5) over Brooklyn Nets: Sorry B-town - you might be up-scaling your residents, but you still have a long way to go to match the basketball caliber that is the Chicago Bulls. There will be no blown 12-point first quarter lead nor will there be a late back door cover. The only certainty I see is a Chicago win and quite possibly the lowest scoring game in NBA playoff history. Confidence Rating: 3
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (-3.5) over Los Angeles Clippers: This series is going seven games, so until then we're probably sticking with the home team. This isn't about players or coaching, it's about the team psychology of being down 2-1. I don't think the Clippers have the step-on-their-throats championship mentality (yet), and Memphis knows what it means to go down 3-1. The Grizz will defend serve and send this back to L.A. knotted at 2. Confidence Rating: 2
HOUSTON ROCKETS (+3.5) over Oklahoma City Thunder: Unless Derick Fisher has been visiting the fountain of youth, the loss of Russell Westbrook has to impact at least one game. Houston gained confidence in Game 2, challenging the Thunder at home. Watch McHale's coaching genius and the three-point shooting of the Rockets light up their crowd. It will be come throw-back, "Oh What a Feeling," commercial night at the Toyota Center.
"Gooooooooooooo Rockets!"
Happy weekend, everyone. Enjoy your friends, your family, and our basketball playoffs.
Vinny and Marco
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