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Larry Ness Monday
Larry's 2nd Round 10* NBA Total
The Hawks "hung around" the Cavs until the third quarter of Game 3 but LeBron's 47 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists eventually led to another impressive Cleveland victory. The Cavs would win Game 3 by the score of 89-72 and are now are on the verge of a second consecutive four-game sweep. Cleveland is 7-0 SU and ATS in the 2009 postseason with ALL seven wins coming by at least double digits and the average margin of victory being 18.0 PPG, including by 21.3 PPG in this series. The scary thing for the rest of the NBA is that it's been more than LeBron (33.7-10.0-6.6) this postseason. Yes, he has played 108 minutes in this series and scored 108 points but Williams (15.1-4.4 APG), West (12.1-3.9-4.1) and Ilgauskas (10.3-6.1) plus a host of other role players have all played well this postseason. It all starts with LeBron but this year, "The King" definitely has a 'court!' Is this the end of the road for the Hawks? It may be but there is sure no more pressure on them, down 0-3. After shooting an abysmal 38.8 percent in the first two games in Cleveland, the Hawks were much better in Game 3, shooting 44.7 percent, including a solid 7-of-18 (38.9 percent) on threes. The Hawks averaged 98.1 PPG on 45.8 percent from the floor this season and I'm expecting a good game from them . As for the Cavs, this team has averaged 96.4 PPG through seven postseason games and that includes that 'ugly' Game 3 in Detroit, when the Cavs outlasted the Pistons, just 79-68. In the three games vs the Hawks, the Cavs have averaged 100.3 PPG, while shooting 50.2 percent. What should change tonight? The Cavs have to 'LOVE' that the Lakers are struggling (tied 2-all with the Rockets after an embarrassing Game 4 loss on Sunday) and will sure want to "finish the Hawks' here, especially with the Celtics and Magic likely headed for a seven-game series (winner will be Cleveland's next opponent). Expect the Cavs to at least reach their "average" in this series (100 points) and for the Hawks to finally "settle down" (with ZERO pressure) and play their best game. That scenario would mean a game which will end a full two TDs over this total.
2nd Round 10* Total Cle/Atl Over.
Larry's 9* Team Mismatch
The Nats open a three-game series with the Giants tonight in San Francisco. First let me deal with the starting pitchers. Daniel Cabrera goes for the Nats and Randy Johnson for the Giants. While Johnson is destined for Cooperstown, Cabrera is still looking for his first win of 2009 (this is his seventh start). Why should that be a surprise? Cabrera went 12-8 as rookie with the Orioles back in 2004 and was lauded as an "up and comer." I never quite got that, as his ERA that season was 5.00 ERA. So what has happened since then? His ERA over the next four seasons (all with Baltimore) was 5.06 and his record reflected it, as Cabrera went 36-51 (.414) in 119 starts, with the Orioles doing just slightly better in all of his starts, posting a 52-67 (.437) mark. Baltimore had seen enough but for some reason, their Washington, D.C. neighbors took a chance on Cabrera. His first NL season has not gone well, with Cabrera opening 0-3 with a 4.85 ERA in six starts, all of which are Nationals losses. I surely don't have to recap the Big Unit's accomplishments but it is fair to say, he's no longer a dominant pitcher. In his second start of 2009 he lasted just 3.2 innings at Dodger Stadium, allowing eight hits and seven ERs in an 11-1 loss. In his last outing at Coors Field, he made it through 5.2 innings, again allowing eight hits and seven ERs, as the Giants lost by another 11-1 score. However, in between those two miserable outings, Johnson went 17.1 innings over three starts, allowing just eight hits and two ERs (1.04 ERA), going 2-0 (team was 3-0!). Now to the teams. The Nats own MLB's worst record at 10-19 and while the team can hit (.274 average / 5.00 RPG), the pitching staff (starters and relievers) is awful, ranking 27th in MLB with a 5.41 ERA. Meanwhile, the Giants are a surprising 16-14 (impressive for a club which has averaged only 73.5 wins per season the last four years), including 10-4 at home. The Giants can't hit much (.248 team BA), which has led them to an average of just 3.63 RPG. However, the staff ERA is 3.87, which ranks third in all of MLB. In the team's 14 home games, the Giants are allowing only 2.57 RPG (no wonder they are 10-4). The Nationals come in 5-12 away from home, allowing a whopping 6.65 RPG! The Giants come in playing with loads of confidence, as they will go for their 14th win in their last 20 games. Despite finishing just 72-90 in 2008, the Giants won all SEVEN meetings with the Nationals last year, outscoring them 38-13 while batting .288 as a team with their pitching staff posting a 1.71 ERA (their lowest against any team last season).
Team Mismatch on the SF Giants
Larry's 2nd Round 10* NBA Total
The Hawks "hung around" the Cavs until the third quarter of Game 3 but LeBron's 47 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists eventually led to another impressive Cleveland victory. The Cavs would win Game 3 by the score of 89-72 and are now are on the verge of a second consecutive four-game sweep. Cleveland is 7-0 SU and ATS in the 2009 postseason with ALL seven wins coming by at least double digits and the average margin of victory being 18.0 PPG, including by 21.3 PPG in this series. The scary thing for the rest of the NBA is that it's been more than LeBron (33.7-10.0-6.6) this postseason. Yes, he has played 108 minutes in this series and scored 108 points but Williams (15.1-4.4 APG), West (12.1-3.9-4.1) and Ilgauskas (10.3-6.1) plus a host of other role players have all played well this postseason. It all starts with LeBron but this year, "The King" definitely has a 'court!' Is this the end of the road for the Hawks? It may be but there is sure no more pressure on them, down 0-3. After shooting an abysmal 38.8 percent in the first two games in Cleveland, the Hawks were much better in Game 3, shooting 44.7 percent, including a solid 7-of-18 (38.9 percent) on threes. The Hawks averaged 98.1 PPG on 45.8 percent from the floor this season and I'm expecting a good game from them . As for the Cavs, this team has averaged 96.4 PPG through seven postseason games and that includes that 'ugly' Game 3 in Detroit, when the Cavs outlasted the Pistons, just 79-68. In the three games vs the Hawks, the Cavs have averaged 100.3 PPG, while shooting 50.2 percent. What should change tonight? The Cavs have to 'LOVE' that the Lakers are struggling (tied 2-all with the Rockets after an embarrassing Game 4 loss on Sunday) and will sure want to "finish the Hawks' here, especially with the Celtics and Magic likely headed for a seven-game series (winner will be Cleveland's next opponent). Expect the Cavs to at least reach their "average" in this series (100 points) and for the Hawks to finally "settle down" (with ZERO pressure) and play their best game. That scenario would mean a game which will end a full two TDs over this total.
2nd Round 10* Total Cle/Atl Over.
Larry's 9* Team Mismatch
The Nats open a three-game series with the Giants tonight in San Francisco. First let me deal with the starting pitchers. Daniel Cabrera goes for the Nats and Randy Johnson for the Giants. While Johnson is destined for Cooperstown, Cabrera is still looking for his first win of 2009 (this is his seventh start). Why should that be a surprise? Cabrera went 12-8 as rookie with the Orioles back in 2004 and was lauded as an "up and comer." I never quite got that, as his ERA that season was 5.00 ERA. So what has happened since then? His ERA over the next four seasons (all with Baltimore) was 5.06 and his record reflected it, as Cabrera went 36-51 (.414) in 119 starts, with the Orioles doing just slightly better in all of his starts, posting a 52-67 (.437) mark. Baltimore had seen enough but for some reason, their Washington, D.C. neighbors took a chance on Cabrera. His first NL season has not gone well, with Cabrera opening 0-3 with a 4.85 ERA in six starts, all of which are Nationals losses. I surely don't have to recap the Big Unit's accomplishments but it is fair to say, he's no longer a dominant pitcher. In his second start of 2009 he lasted just 3.2 innings at Dodger Stadium, allowing eight hits and seven ERs in an 11-1 loss. In his last outing at Coors Field, he made it through 5.2 innings, again allowing eight hits and seven ERs, as the Giants lost by another 11-1 score. However, in between those two miserable outings, Johnson went 17.1 innings over three starts, allowing just eight hits and two ERs (1.04 ERA), going 2-0 (team was 3-0!). Now to the teams. The Nats own MLB's worst record at 10-19 and while the team can hit (.274 average / 5.00 RPG), the pitching staff (starters and relievers) is awful, ranking 27th in MLB with a 5.41 ERA. Meanwhile, the Giants are a surprising 16-14 (impressive for a club which has averaged only 73.5 wins per season the last four years), including 10-4 at home. The Giants can't hit much (.248 team BA), which has led them to an average of just 3.63 RPG. However, the staff ERA is 3.87, which ranks third in all of MLB. In the team's 14 home games, the Giants are allowing only 2.57 RPG (no wonder they are 10-4). The Nationals come in 5-12 away from home, allowing a whopping 6.65 RPG! The Giants come in playing with loads of confidence, as they will go for their 14th win in their last 20 games. Despite finishing just 72-90 in 2008, the Giants won all SEVEN meetings with the Nationals last year, outscoring them 38-13 while batting .288 as a team with their pitching staff posting a 1.71 ERA (their lowest against any team last season).
Team Mismatch on the SF Giants
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