I just want to start out by helping every Australian, by saying AVOID AVOID AVOID Directflights.com.au this Indian based company with a fake .com.au domain name, took my money for some flights out of my account, and confirmed the booking and THEN 4 hours later wanted to charge me an extra 50%. Somehow they could hold the tickets for 48hours if I paid the extra money, but could not hold the original booking as promised. It took them over 10 days to return the money (great if you needed the funds to buy legit tickets). When I rang them twice in 48 hours, a Md Shahidul Alam in India called me difficult and unreasonable for wanting my money back. So please, my best tip ever AVOID AVOID Directflights.com.au!! Of course these are my personal views (and experiences) and do not express the views of any company or affiliate.
Well it’s time to work out who will win the NBA Championship now that the NFL season has come to an end. For what it’s worth I have the experience of the Pittsburgh Steelers beating the Packers. The Packers are a team of the Future with the Aaron Rodgers being a great team leader and player.. but not this year. The loss of Pittsburgh Centre who snaps the ball to Ben Roethlisbeger may be more of a hindrance than a major drawback. The Steeler Offensive line have made their money with slant right or slant left moves, going back as far as Bill Cowher, simple and effective. Betchoice.com has 100’s of betting props for the Superbowl. Steelers 33 – 24
So welcome to my wheelhouse. .. the NBA
I really didn’t want to write anything until I saw the Miami Heat play a little. I know a lot of people make their money on predicting how good or bad the Heat were going to be. But I will suggest that most of it was just noise and total rubbish. They opened the season at $2.85 to win the NBA Championship and at that price I was happy to lay them as I felt a team in the Eastern Conference, having to go through Orlando or Boston Celtics don’t deserve to be that short.
Back prior to the season starting, I had the East Champs playing the LA Lakers, who with Phil Jackson at the helm, are deserved NBA favourites by some distance. This has somewhat changed now that we are almost half way through the season.
Currently Betchoice has Miami Heat at top price $3.10 and the LA Lakers cuddled at $3.75. I do see Miami Heat winning some Championships in the near future, just not this year. Boston Celtics are still strong, Orlando Magic have a great in-and-out game in Dwight Howard and their sharp shooters. Whilst in the West we have some teams absolutely flying, but give me the LA Lakers as the second best team once they work out their defense, but unfortunately for Kobe I have them gettng beat by the San Antonio Spurs in the West.
So let me start in the Western Conference including my NBA Championship tip. I have the San Antonio Spurs beating my original tip the LA Lakers in the West. This stems from my belief that they have a massive upside. Currently they have a 40 – 7 record and Tim Duncan is having his worse season ever! Not just is it bad for him, watching his game I would go so far as suggesting that he is actually bringing his team down. They have been surviving from great play by Matt Bonner and not surprisingly Manu Ginobili. This team has a massive upside and should finish with the best record in the NBA. The $9 available seems like overs and is the best value avilable.
I don’t really need to talk about why the defending Champions LA Lakers are a super team, and can make the Western Conference Finals. But Jerry West (dude on the NBA Logo) is 100% correct that their defense is rubbish! How can their three super bigs defend so small? It’s incredibly subpar. In their recent loss at home to the Sacramento Kings, they allowed the Kings to shoot over 70% from the field in the first half. They weren’t coming out on the Kings shouters, and they area just outside the key and in front of the three point line was owned by the Kings. This is the same area the Oklahoma City Thunder own, which is why they will be a very tough match up for the LA Lakers if Phil Jackson doesn’t sort this out. Their defensive plan seems to be to run all the opponents offense into the bigs Bynum and Gasol. The problem with this is that if a team settles for pull up jumpers and starts hitting them, it doesn’t work. Mid range jumpers may not seem high percentage option, but just giving opponents this shot all day isn’t exactly great defense. The Lakers still have the second best record in the West whilst copping critisism, so like the Boston Celtics, they will do enough to get to the Finals and then be fixed up to make a massive run.
Outside of the Spurs and the LA Lakers I give New Orleans Hornets a half chance and maybe Oklahoma City Thunder until they face the Spurs. This means I don’t give Dallas or Denver a chance come finals time.
Moving to Eastern Conference it’s a race in three with only Boston, Orlando and Miami the only real chances. I feel that Derrick Rose is having a MVP season and whenever possible I try and watch Chicago Bulls games. But like Blake Griffin from the LA Clippers, though I am in love with his game I am not in love with the team. Chicago Bulls might be better with Joakim Noah back, but outside of Rose they have nothing and no great options. Rose literally does everything.
Though it’s tough to see who will win the East I will be shocked if it’s not one of these three teams! Of the three, give me the Boston Celtics. Of course they have to stay healthy, but given their experience, ability to face Orlando and match up inside, and since I’m still not convinced about the Miami Heat, give me Boston. The Celtics were my tip last year and came so close, I also think that this might be their last chance, so it’s a bit all or nothing for them. Without conferences I would have Lakers and Spurs clearly ahead of their Eastern foes.
If Miami Heat faced Orlando Magic today I would back Orlando.. they are currently 2½ games behind Miami Heat. After being involved in the big trade this season, I think Orlando are looking good to make a sustained run. With Dwight Howard in the middle, anything is possible with this team. If I was Miami I would run all my plays right into Howard to try and get him into foul trouble. If they don’t, Dwight will be able to clog the middle for the whole game and hence power their way through the NBA Finals.
If you watch the Heat play, they don’t run that many plays, and 90% of the plays start as Isolation plays spacing LeBron and Wade on either side. Both drive to draw the foul, or pass to Chris Bosh if the double team comes, their 3rd option is to kick it out to the shouters like Eddie House who I have seen three times this season take the final shot - mainly as Wade and LeBron are well defended.
So I have Orlando Magic beating Miami Heat, with Boston Celtics winning the East over Orlando Magic. Over in the West I have San Antonio knocking out the Oklahoma City Thunder and then the LA Lakers in the Final. Then give me the San Antonio Spurs winning the NBA Championship 4-1.
A quick tip for Lord Stanley’s Cup…
Before I leave you I will give you my NHL tips otherwise my mate Trent will be blowing up. About a month ago, I fell in love with Vancouver Canucks and took most of the $10 available. They are super short at $5.50 with $6 available. I have them playing Philadelphia Flyers from the East which means neither Washington Capitals or Pittsburgh Penguins make the Stanley Cup Final. The Flyers are so solid on offense and defense they don’t need a super effort from their Goalie, they are just nicely balanced. Being from the East makes life very difficult. Of the rest I think the Tampa Bay Lightning will improve in the second half of the season. Since they are all in the East, it gives me more confidence that the Vancouver Canucks will have a big chance coming from the West and if the East beat each other up, the Canucks sweep the Stanley Cup 4-0, but give me 4-1.
Happy Punting and remember AVOID Directflights.com.au, don’t be fooled by their .com.au domain, these Indian thieves will ruin any potential holiday.
Monday, January 31, 2011
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