12-25-08 [Archive] - Investwithsports.com Sportstalk and Gambling forum

Mr. IWS

12-25-2008, 12:29 PM

Larry Ness' Bailout Game of the Month-NBA (need a late game? this is it!)
My 15* Bailout GOM is on the Por Blazers at 10:35 ET. A year ago Christmas, the Blazers were in the midst of a 13-game winning streak but when all was said and done, Portland finished 41-41, missing the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season. A year ago this time, the Mavericks had Devin Harris, not Jason Kidd playing PG and I believe, were a better team. These teams wrap-up a busy five-game Christmas schedule tonight in Portland. The Mavs enter 16-11 and the Blazers 18-11. The Mavs are coming off back-to-back wins but the victories came over Washington and Memphis, which have combined to go just 13-41 (.241). The Blazers are off a home-and-home with the Nuggets, losing in Denver on Monday but upping their home mark to 10-2 SU (8-4 ATS) with a nine-point win in Portland on Tuesday. Roy (22.7-4.6-5.2) is unquestionably an All-Star caliber player now, while Aldridge (17.0-6.7) continues to improve at the power forward spot. However, Portland is still waiting for Oden (7.7-7.3) to fulfill even PART of promise, as the big man has been woefully inconsistent. Rookie Rudy Fernandez (10.9) has been a nice surprise plus guys like PG Blake (11.5-4.4 APG), small forward Outlaw (10.4) and Oden's partner at the center position, Przybilla (6.3-8.3), give the Blazers the 'look' of a playoff team this year. The Mavs still have Nowitzki (26.0-9.1) and Terry (21.1), who is now coming off the bench. Kidd (9.1-6.1-8.3) is NOT the Kidd "of old" and Josh Howard (18.1-5.9) has just recently returned from missing 13 straight games. In his five games back, he's averaging a respectable 14.0 PPG but he has just NINE total rebounds in the five games. The Mavs have won 15 of their last 17 meetings with the Blazers but that's really "old news." The two wins in that stretch came in the two games played last year in Portland. What's more, the Mavericks are a poor 4-8 vs quality teams this year, going 12-3 vs the rest of the league. A bigger sampling shows that the Mavs have won just 10 of their previous 32 games vs winning teams. If Oden ever "finds it" (assuming he has it!), the Blazers will be a team no one wants to face come playoff time. Until then, the Blazers are still a team few want to play in Portland, especially at the end of a long Christamas Day. Bailout Game of the Month 15* Por Blazers.

Good Luck...Larry