NBA Playoff Pick-a-thon Day 26: Hot Tub Time Machine Meets Freaky Friday

POST-SEASON RECORD TO DATE: 42-19 ATS 

CONFERENCE SEMI-FINALS: 12-5 ATS 

CONFIDENCE EFFICIENCY RATING (CER): 83/120 or .69

TOP CONFIDENCE PICKS THROUGH DAY 25: 17-7 ATS 

The game just ended in San Antonio, and all that's left to do as Warriors fans now is hope they can win there again before our kids graduate from college. Anyone have a kid graduating on Monday?

                   

Golden State looked out-manned, out-coached, out-skilled, and out of back up plans. The Warriors notorious back court of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson who took turns wreaking havoc on the Alamo in Games 1 and 2 were silenced by the "Life Guards" (copy write TSZ) of Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard whose stifling defense was like a big, red warning sign by the side of the pool that reads NO SPLASHING ALLOWED. 

                             

Just wait - it'll catch on,.

In the early game, we were reminded once again why the New York Knicks will not be competing for an NBA championship any time soon. Amar'e Stoudemire looked rusty. Carmelo Anthony looked tired. And Jason Kidd should have re-tired. Talk about "not with a bang but a whimper." He hasn't scored in eight games. Meanwhile, the Indiana Pacers looked like and played like a team rather than a one-dimensional team with a broken dimension. This series might not end in New York, but it won't end well for the Knicks when it does. 

                    

Here are a few more observations from the past two days of Conference Semi-Final basketball. 

3. Aging Veteran Alert - there was a Richard Hamilton sighting Monday in Chicago. What? I know. Apparently, he is still in the league. I loved that guy back in the '90's. Had I known he was playing for the Bulls, I would have started a Twirus (Twitter Virus) petitioning Coach T. for more playing time. Eleven points in 22 minutes. Where the heck was he when the Bulls were getting lit up in Game 2? Come on' man, don't rip on Rip - the boy can still outrun and out-shoot most of the league. Thibodeau either considers Hamilton is a defensive liability or he thinks plastic masks are "for wusses."

                    
"Man, I could really go for some fava beans and a nice chianti"

2. Speaking of long-forgotten super stars...Tracy McGrady finally got some playing time in the Warriors-Spurs game last night. I think it was his first playing time in the second round of the playoffs since his days in Aburndale High in Florida. Unless of course you count his recent run with  the Qingdao Eagles of the CBA (Chinese Basketball Association). Real image not available due to censorship laws.

                        

1. Back to the Indiana-New York game. I'm very confused as to the NBA rules that are allowing Chris Bosh to play for the Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers. I know he changes his name and shaves his goatee in an attempt to keep his secret, but let's face it - he just looks like Clark Kent and Clark Kent with a goatee. 

                        

Okay "Lance Stephenson" - feel free to collect two paychecks, but let me be the first to warn you that it's going to get tricky-like-a-Wayans-Brothers-movie in the Eastern Conference Finals when Miami plays Indiana. I mean, c'mon dude, how many times are you going to be able to come up with excuses to run to the locker room "for a minute" and "be right back." I say stick with Indy, because you look a little less serpentine without the facial hair.

                       

Let's get to today's action. And remember, if you hate basketball - scroll down to the bottom of the post for NHL and MLB handicapping.

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (-4.5) over Memphis Grizzlies: Back against the wall, OKC will play their hearts out at home. Durant will not let them lose and Kevin Martin and Reggie Jackson will provide him with some complementary scoring to send this series back to Memphis. What happened to the Durantula nickname, anyway?

                               

MIAMI HEAT (-14) over Chicago Bulls: With no Hinrich or Deng in sight, we don't see the Bulls covering this spread in Miami. This game will resemble last night's in San Antonio - close for a while, but one run by Miami will be enough to let the air slowly leak from the Bulls until the game is out of hand. See you next year, Joakim Fro-ah, the playoffs will miss you.

                              

I know - where's the analysis? To which I say, it's Day 26 of the NBA Playoff Pick-a-thon.

Good luck out there,

Vinny and Marco

BONUS COVERAGE FROM KYLE'S CORNER

Okay so a recap of Tuesday looks like this

MLB: 8-6-1

Overall total: 61-46-3

NHL: 1-1, It was a blowout so Pittsburgh stopped trying with an easy 4-1 lead and in the last 15 minutes of the game took 1 shot on net....

Overall total: 28-18

Now on to the Wednesday, just one game in the NHL today and it's a obvious mismatch.

NHL: Detroit @ Chicago: Detroit was lucky to advance it ends here. Chicago to win, (-1.5), over 2.5 goals.

MLB:

Hot Pitcher ride:


    "Collarbone's all better now." 

DET:   Scherzer (5-0, 3.61 ERA)
TEX:   Ogando (3-2, 3.09 ERA)
BOS:   Lester (5-0, 2.73 ERA)
STL:   Miller (5-2, 1.58 ERA)
SEA:   Iwakuma (4-1, 1.74 ERA)
LAD:   Greinke (1-0, 1.59 ERA)*

Overs!

KC:   Davis (2-3, 5.86 ERA) @ LAA:   Enright (0-1, 11.37 ERA) O9

SF:   Vogelsong (1-3, 7.78 ERA) @ TOR:   Ortiz (0-1, 3.24 ERA) *
STL:   Miller (5-2, 1.58 ERA) Team over 4.5 *

TEX:   Ogando (3-2, 3.09 ERA) @ OAK:   Straily (1-1, 7.06 ERA) O8

CHW:   Axelrod (0-3, 4.17 ERA) @ MIN:   Pelfrey (3-3, 6.03 ERA) O8.5

SD:   Marquis (4-2, 3.48 ERA) @ BAL:   Garcia (0-1, 4.26 ERA) O9

I found this gem on Bodog/Bovada NFL prop bets and died laughing:

Tim Tebow - What will happen first for Tim Tebow? 

8:00p	Throws another TD Pass in the NFL	-500
	Admits to having intercourse	+300

Anyways good luck!

Kyle