1-19-09

[Mr. IWS]

Scott Spreitzer:

5* charlotte
ko: Lakers

[Mr. IWS]

Larry Ness Monday

Weekly Wipeout Winner - NBA Day Game


The Charlotte Bobcats are only 16-24 on the season but do come in having won three straight and five of seven since Jan 3. During that stretch the team owns a 114-106 overtime win at home vs the Celtics, an 80-78 road win at Detroit and just this past Saturday, a 102-98 overtime vs the Blazers. The Bobcats like their new additions, Diaw (10.7-5.1-3.5) and Bell (9.7) plus just acquired Dallas big man Diop, as head coach Larry Brown is trying get more size and better defensive play from his frontcourt. Okafor (13.9-10.9) has always put up decent numbers but he's "hardly been heard from" since leading U Conn to a national title back in 2004. The team's leading scorer is Wallace (16.6-7.6) plus Felton (13.5-6.2 APG) and Augustin (12.1-4.1 APG) give the Hornets two exciting young PGs. However, Augustin will be out for seven-to-10 days with an abdominal problem.While the Bobcats are playing pretty well right now, beating the Spurs is something the team has rarely done. The Bobcats lost both games to the Spurs last year, averaging a mere 75.5 PPG. So what else is new? They are 1-7 all-time against the Spurs, failing to break 90 points is SIX of the eight games to NOT go into overtime. They are a very UN-PERFECT 0-4 in the four games played in Charlotte, averaging only 83.3 PPG. The Spurs can likely win this game "from memory" but as most people know, this hasn't been a "typical" season for San Antonio so far. The Spurs began the season with Ginobili recovering from an ankle surgery and then just a few games into the year, Parker went down with an injury. Ginobili missed the team's first 13 games (Parker returned to the lineup shortly after Manu did) and after opening 7-6, the Spurs have gone 19-7 with a healthy Ginobili. He's averaging 14.9-4.3-3.5 (down from a career-high 19.5 PPG last year) but Parker's averaging a career-best 20.9 PPG (plus 6.6 APG) and Duncan (20.3-10.2) has been as steady as ever. Finley (10.0) is consistent and while Bowen is no longer a major factor, a few new faces have appeared this year for San Antonio. Roger Mason Jr. (12.0) has been the most import new 'face' with his spectacular and clutch three-point shooting plus the 6-01 Matt Bonner (8.3-4.6) is averaging career highs in both points and rebounds (he's also the NBA's top three-point shooter at 48.2 percent), while rookie PG Hill 97.5) is building off the extra playing time he received when Parker was out. The Spurs uncharacteristically allowed 105 (Magic), 111 (Lakers) and 109 (76ers) points in three straight games (1/11-16). I say uncharacteristically, because the Spurs hadn't allowed 100 points or more in three consecutive games since 2001. Enough was enough and Saturday, the Spurs won in Chicago, as they held the Bulls to just 87 points in a five-point win. Now it's on to Charlotte, a team they've dominated.

Weekly Wipeout Winner on the SA Spurs

Larry Ness' Situational Game of the Week

The Suns won 117-113 yesterday afternoon in Toronto and continue their six-game, nine-day road trip tonight in Boston. The "new-look" Suns are really not much of a "new-look" teams these days, especially after acquiring Jason Richardson and sending Bell and Diaw to the Bobcats. New head coach Terry Porter intended to bring a more deliberate offensive style to the Suns with a greater emphasis on defense but after yesterday's 117-point game with the Raptors, the Suns have scored more than 100 points in 17 of their last 18 games, while allowing triple digits in 20 of their last 23. Where's that "new look?" Stoudemire (21.8-8.3) leads in scoring but has really not worked very hard on the defensive end, while Shaq (17.7-8.9) has played well but often can't be counted on in back-to-back game situations like this. Richardson (17.0-4.3) is a good offensive player but Bell and Diaw were the team's best perimeter defenders and they are missed. Nash (14.4-9.0 APG) is still a quality player but he's not the same player he was in winning back-to-back MVP awards a few years back and age does matter. Depth is a concern as well, with Barbosa (12.8), Barnes (11.0-5.6) and Hill (10.7) joining the aforementioned four players in what's become no more than a seven-player rotation. The Celtics jumped out to a 27-2 start but haven't been quite the same since their Christmas Day loss in LA to the Lakers. That game ended a 19-game winning streak and began a 2-7 SU and ATS slide for Boston. The team has won four straight since but the wins have come in home-and-home series with the slumping Raptors and the pathetic Nets. The "Big Three" is still the "Big Three" and Rondo (10.7-4.9-8.0) just keeps getting better,. However, center Perkins (8.8-8.1) remains out and so does Tony Allen (7.9), who has become more important this year with the loss of Posey to there Hornets. All that said, the Celtics are still 20-2 SU at home and while their ATS mark is not as impressive as it was LY (13-9 TY at home), the Celtics are outscoring opponents on average by 104.2-to-91.6 PPG at home. After losing that "showcase" game Christmas Day to LA and also losing 98-83 at Clevend on Jan (Friday night ESPN game), this TNT game, which is part of a triple-header on MLK Day, is the kind of "statement win" the Celtics want and need. The Suns are "ripe for the taking" in this one and I expect Boston to get a win with "room to spare."

Situational Game of the Week on the Bos Celtics


Larry Ness' 7* Bailout Blowout-NBA (late)

Who is the NBA's best player? Is it LeBron (27.8-7.1-6.7) or Kobe (27.2-5.5-4.9)? The debate won't be answered tonight but the final game of the TNT tripleheader for MLK Day is a special matchup. Mo Williams (16.0-3.9 APG) has been a HUGE addition for the Cavs this year and the return to health of Andrew Bynum (12.6-7.7) had most declaring the Lakers, not the Celtics, as this year's "team to beat" at the opening of the season. Cleveland remains the league's only unbeaten home team (20-0) and at 11-7 SU and ATS on the road, the Cavs have done a respectable job away from home as well. The Lakers are 20-3 SU at home but were just outplayed in the 4th quarter of their Friday night home game with the Magic, losing the quarter 35-28 and the game, 109-103. The Cavs won their Friday night game, 92-78 over the Hornets (improving to 20-0 at home). They now open a four-game trip out West, following this game with contests at Portland, Golden St and Utah. The 31-7 Cavs have not won a division title since 1975 but look like "sure things" in the Central Division this year and while the Celtics and Magic may still have something to say about it,the Cavs also seemed poised to win their first-ever Eastern Conference crown this year as well. Of course, Delonte West and Ilgauskas had better get healthy. West (12.3) is having a career-season, shooting 46.7 percent from the floor (40.9 on threes) and Igauskas (13.8-7.1) is as steady a player as there is the league. Varejao (9.1-6.9) is a quality player but after averaging 16.0-8.3 in the first four games without Ilgauskas in the lineup, he's averaged just 5.0-3.3 in the last three. Varejao's at his best for Cleveland, providing a 'spark' off the bench. A for the Lakers, they miss Farmar (7.9), who is not expected to be back until after the All Star break but Gasol (17.6-9.2) and Fisher (11.3) have both had good seasons. joining Kobe and Bynum as the team's nucleus. Radmanovic (6.8) is a starter in "name only," with Ariza (9.2-5.1), and Odom (9.1-6.1) making much bigger contributions off the bench. The Lakers own the league's highest scoring offense (107.6 PPG), while the Cavs are allowing the fewest points (89.0 PPG) and own the NBA's best defensive FG percentage (41.9). The Cavs beat the Lakers in both meetings last year and actually own five straight wins over LA, so off that loss to the Magic, the Lakers will surely want this game tonight. With West and Ilgauskas sidelined, the Lakers will get what they want. Like Christmas Day vs Boston, LA pulls away at the end for a comfortable win.

Bailout Blowout on the LA Lakers