The NBA Thread

[akaJudge]

am i the only one who is AMAZINGLY entertained by the Heat's incredible mediocrity?  9 and 8, and now they're blaming the coach!  Which may not be true, but the whole thing is hilarious to me.

[Gilly]

It is pretty funny, but it has to be the coach. All three of those guys are playing far below their averages. Obviously, the system isn't working and when you have that much talent on one team, you have to try something new. Maybe it won't work, and maybe it's unfair to the coach but I think they need to make the quick move. I don't think it's a respect issue though.

[jbissell]

It is pretty funny, but it has to be the coach. All three of those guys are playing far below their averages. Obviously, the system isn't working and when you have that much talent on one team, you have to try something new. Maybe it won't work, and maybe it's unfair to the coach but I think they need to make the quick move. I don't think it's a respect issue though.

I don't know. Spolestra is not the one who can't rebound. He's also not the one having a lot of 1-13, 6-21 shooting night. LeBron and Wade haven't figured out how to play with each other and I don't think the coach is entirely to blame for that. I feel a little bad for the guy because the whole thing was a no-win situation for him from the start. Obviously he'll be the scapegoat for any of their struggles and if they win he's never going to get any of the credit. They should just go ahead and let LeBron run the team since I'm pretty sure that's what he wants anyways.

[dave from knoxville]

So I have lost my imaginary shirt. I am down to 27 imaginary dollars, and I have to give 3 of that over to the imaginary vig, so I have 24 dollars back, and need to try to build back up to at least even so that I don't have to raid the make-believe baby's college fund to pay the made up bookie.

Here's how my $24 gets distributed.

8 bucks on Indiana, -2 points, at Sacramento
6 bucks on Orlando, -10.5 points over Detroit
4 bucks on New Jersey, +6.5 points at New York
2 bucks on Memphis, +5 points over the Lakers
2 bucks on Philadelphia, +4 points over Portland
1 buck on San Antonio, -5.5 points at Golden State
1 buck on Cleveland, +8 points over Boston

[Gilly]

When all three of the guys are performing far below their normal levels, something has to be said for the system they are playing in. There are other factors but I think factor #1 has to be the coach.

I'm up 100 if it's even money so I'll place my winnings on the Lakers to cover the spread.

[Gilly]

Back to even.

[dave from knoxville]

I am taking 10% off of my amount for the "vig". That puts me back to $38. We can drop the vig business since it's just for fun, but I will need to reconfigure my total if that's they way we roll.

If we keep the vig (and I know, it's tough, but this is a tough imaginary town,) you started with $100, paid $10 to play, but the whole $90 down, won, so going into last night's game you would have been at $180 (with me at a paltry $27). After last night's results, if you bet your winnings, you put up $90, $9 of which went to Big Louie, so you would have stood to win $81. Since you lost, you're down to $90 total, and since I had a good night, I am back up to $38 (you gotta have money to make money, and I didn't have any; if only I had bet the imaginary Taj Mahal!)

Disclaimer; if this foolish game makes any of you feel like you want to bet real dollars, don't kid yourself. The oddsmakers are long-term good, and the vig will eventually get you. Ie, if this makes you want to call a bookie, let me know, and I will never post about it again.

[gravy boat]

4 bucks on New Jersey, +6.5 points at New York

Until Devin Harris went out with an injury in the 3rd, the Nets were tied and you were in the black on this.  Wow --  D'Antoni is playing his Knicks starters an absurd amount of minutes.

[dave from knoxville]

So today I will take my $38, pay the $4 vig, and bet the remaining $34 thusly

$7 on Miami -11 points over Detroit
$7 on San Antonio -9 points at the Clippers
$6 on New Orleans -6.5 points over Charlotte
$6 on Dallas -10 points over Minnesota
$5 on Chicago -1 point over Orlando
$3 on Boston -7.5 points over Portland

[dave from knoxville]

It's a system! If it works, next year we will kick in $100 grand each and end up owning the mint, at which time we can privately finance the touring production of Dutch.

[Gilly]

20 bucks on Detroit, 20 bucks on New Orleans. 4 bucks to the vig. Right?

[jbissell]

Boozer time!

[dave from knoxville]

So today I will take my $38, pay the $4 vig, and bet the remaining $34 thusly

$7 on Miami -11 points over Detroit
$7 on San Antonio -9 points at the Clippers
$6 on New Orleans -6.5 points over Charlotte
$6 on Dallas -10 points over Minnesota
$5 on Chicago -1 point over Orlando
$3 on Boston -7.5 points over Portland

And I am back to $38. For most real gambler's I have known, going from $38 to $38 would constitute a huge win, and verify that I should take out a loan against my house to get more capital, since it's clear I am on a roll.

[dave from knoxville]

20 bucks on Detroit, 20 bucks on New Orleans. 4 bucks to the vig. Right?

So, you started with $90. Bet $20, $20, and $4 vig, so you're down to $46. New Orleans wins, Detroit loses, so you're up to $86. We collectively have to do better, Gilly, or we are never going to be able to build that pretend gambling addiction rehab center in Fantasyland.

[jbissell]

Boozer time!

I expected a rough start but that was just unpleasant to watch.