CONFERENCE SEMI-FINALS: 10-2 ATS
CONFIDENCE EFFICIENCY RATING (CER): 80/113 or .71
TOP CONFIDENCE PICKS THROUGH DAY 22: 15-6 ATS
On a team praised for the interior presence of its post players Zack Randolph and Marc Gasol, most Memphis fans, coaches, and teammates would argue that as point guard Mike Conley goes so go the Grizzlies. Although his shooting was sub-par in Game 3, he still managed to score 14 points, dish out 7 assists, grab 7 rebounds, and get to the free throw line to score four of the Grizzlies final six points, icing their 87-81 victory (and covering the spread) over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
When push comes to shove in the closely contested games Memphis has played throughout the 2013 post-season, coach Lionel Hollins wants the ball in Conley's hands. "He's calm under pressure," Hollins said after the game, "It's as though he can make the world slow down just long enough for him to make good basketball decisions."
"He's improved every year he's been in the league," added longtime teammate Darrell Arthur. "When he as at Ohio State I was much better than him. Since then, however, my game has peaked and his has gone through the roof. I can't explain it."
No one can. It has been a remarkable stretch for Conley over the past decade, going from relative obscurity to super stardom. It seems like not so long ago, little Mike was riding on the broad shoulders of best friend and AAU/OSU teammate Greg Oden. Since Oden's disappearance - with the likes of Kwame Brown, Darco Milicic, and Adam Morrison - into the vast NBA vault of unrealized talent, there have been whispers about an incident between Mike Conley and Greg Oden years ago that may have changed the course of their lives forever.
"Real men do cry. A lot. I mean a lot lot."
There's has been far too much written about Mike Conley and Greg Oden growing up in the same neighborhood in Indiana, joined at the hip by a mutual love of basketball, guiding Lawrence North High School to three consecutive state titles together, and committing treason by leaving the state and playing for Ohio State University.
What hasn't been written about nearly as much is the fateful summer before high school when Oden was already becoming a mega star in Indiana basketball circles and Conley was becoming known as the "pretty quick little guy" hanging out with him. All of that changed in a single afternoon.
One morning after AAU practice, Conley and Oden were making their way home when they stumbled upon an old crate in the woods, half open with its contents inside spilled onto the dirt path in front of them. Along with several bronzed four-leaf clovers, a blarney stone, a rabbits foot, and a few horse shoes, there was a shiny, sterling silver lamp. The boys marveled at the pile of treasures, eventually focusing their admiration onto the lamp, which indeed looked like the type that might have a genie in it who could grant them wishes.
This led to a lengthy conversation about what they might wish for - money, fame, more wishes, girls, and so on. Finally, Mike said, "You know what, Greg. If I could have one wish, I'd wish to be as good at basketball as you." Greg smiled his big old smile and said, "Me, too, Mike. I'd wish you were as good as me, too. Then we'd take over the world for sure." The boys laughed, left the crate of treasures on the path, and went home for lunch.
Little did they know their innocent conversation had already set into motion a magic spell known as Volumus Consentio - the Agreement Wish - which ultimately took both Greg Oden's talent and his strength and transferred it little by little to Mike Conley. Obviously, it did not happen all at once, but that summer Mike grew six inches while Greg aged six years.
Greg's Middle School Photo
Freshman year at Lawrence North High
Nobody thought much about it because Oden was still tall and strong and Conley had added height, speed, and strength to his game. The future looked bright for Lawrence North, but not for Greg Oden. As the years passed by, Oden became an injury-plagued mess and Conley a highly recruited phenom. Their senior year of high school, Oden was voted Mr. Basketball for the state of Indiana, and Conley was the runner up. This would be their passing of the torch ceremony, and although they wen to Ohio State together and almost won a national championship, it was clear to everyone - except the Portland Trailblazers - that at the ripe age of eighteen, Oden's best playing days were behind him.
After their freshman year at OSU, both Oden and Conley entered the draft, going number one and number four overall. The rest, is recent history. While an injury-plagued Greg Oden has been making it onto lists of Biggest NBA Busts - although now that you know the true story you might think twice about agreeing to his placement there - Mike Conley has been making the playoffs. And he's been killing it.
Does Oden harbor any ill will towards Conley for their reversal of fortunes? Not according to the big man who spoke to us from his retirement home, "Man, I don't have time for resentments when there's an Early Bird special goin' on down at Denny's." And off he went, carpooling as usual with his roommate and new BFF Juwan Howard.
And that concludes a completely fabricated human interest story we like to use on the slower NBA playoff days. With only one game on the slate, it's fun to get fictional, but now it's time to get very, very real with some talk about the injury plagued Warriors readiness for Game 4 this afternoon. Clearly the Warriors are a blind spot for Marco and me, but nonetheless, even with a few heart picks along the way, our ATS record for the playoffs is a breath-taking 40-15.
40 and 15!!!
Let's get on with it.
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (+1.5) over San Antonio Spurs: Heart pick? Absolutely. But no home arena has more heart than Golden State's. If Willis Reed had walked into Oracle back in 1970, rather than him igniting the crowd, they would have spurred (pun intended) him onto playing all 48 minutes and dominating San Antonio - even though they were the Dallas Chapparrals (lame) back then. Is Stephen Curry a game-time decision? Sure he is. Is David Lee a shell of the player is capable of? You bet. Does San Antonio have more combined playoff experience on their roster than any team in NBA history? Probably. But if someone says they're giving my Warriors points at home - you better believe I'm taking them. Confidence Rating: 1
In Jackson we trust.
Happy Mother's Day, everyone.
Vinny and Marco
BONUS COVERAGE FROM KYLES CORNER IN CANADA
First of all, a quick recap of my Saturday
NHL: 3-2
All on the same game, and what a crazy game it was! Pittsburgh advances to the second round to face Ottawa -the most explosive offensive team will be playing the biggest snore-fest team of defensive goaltendingness.
Overall: 23-11
MLB: 8-7
Heart-breakingly close games can drive you crazy, but another positive day and the law of averages should swing to the big win like yesterday soon enough. My system has proven that much.
Overall: 45-28-2
And now for...
NHL: Winners based on confidence #1 being most confident.
1. Anaheim Ducks. (Take jimmy Howard more than 30 saves) *2 Bets.
2. Boston Bruins. (Take Both goaltenders over 28-29 saves, both these teams take lots of shots) * 3 Bets.
3. Washington Capitals. (Take Lundqvist over 30 saves and Ovechkin over 5 shots) * 3 Bets.
Every single one of these games are elimination games, Very worth watching!
MLB:
Hot pitcher ride: No one fits the criteria today....Sorry :(
Overs!
It's the end of everyone's rotations, all the shit pitchers are starting and lots of teams are getting hot bats, today seems like a great day for dingers.
CLE: McAllister (3-3, 2.63 ERA) @ DET: Porcello (1-2, 7.52 ERA) O9
MIL: Peralta (3-2, 5.54 ERA) @ CIN: Arroyo (2-4, 4.30 ERA) O9
CHC: Feldman (3-3, 2.70 ERA) @ WSH: Gonzalez (3-2, 4.97 ERA) O7.5
SD: Stults (3-2, 4.50 ERA) @ TB: Hernandez (1-4, 4.66 ERA) O8
ATL: Medlen (1-4, 3.25 ERA) @ SF: Lincecum (2-2, 4.75 ERA) O7.5
