Cashing In

Your "Bad Beat" for Thursday is on:

Lakers (plus 2) at Denver.

This is more of an off the court bad beat. There was no word at all of Kobe Bryant sitting out for resting reasons. The number started out at about 1 1/2 or 2ish in favor of the Nuggets and went to about 2 1/2ish. Then right before the game word came down that Kobe was going to rest and the number shot to around four.

Wouldn't you know it, the game ends 98-96 Denver. Whoever played the Lakers early on and well before this late development has got to feel pretty skunked!



Your winners for Friday are on:

3* Knicks (plus 11 1/2) at Orlando.

2* Giants (plus 105) vs. Braves.

One play on Thursday and it was a 2* winner on the Tigers!



Orlando has already clinched the two seed in the East and has absolutely nothing to play for. Stan Van Gundy may even rest some of his stars ala the Cavs and Lakers last night. The Knicks aren't good and are looking toward the offseason and the pursuit of King James among others but there is still enough talent on this team to cover this contest against a Magic squad that may not even try all that much.

If you are going to play this game, do it early before the number drops if word comes down that Dwight Howard and a few others may sit.

David Lee is playing great and a few others like T-Mac and Wilson Chandler make these New Yorkers at least a capable enough squad even if the Magic bring their A-Game. The Knicks are a funny team. They can stink against a terrible team and then raise their game up and shock an elite team. That wouldn't surprise me today at all and I'll therefore grab this number.


With Chipper Jones banged up and Brian McCann expected to rest against a solid lefthander in Jonathan Sanchez, I'll take the undefeated Giants at home for sure!

San Francisco just swept Houston on the road and now with their no-hit man from a year ago why not take some money at home? Sanchez certainly is far from being much better than average but he does have an upside and at home the Giants should win this game to be honest.

Tim Hudson did make a successful return last year from the injury and should be alright today but Huddy is still not the same guy from his Oakland days and is very hittable. I expect him to hurl a quality start but I also don't expect much from the Braves depleted bats. Jason Heyward is a future superstar and Nate McClouth and a few others could pick up the slack but it is asking a bit much here without Chipper and McCann.

I expect this number to go against us when people realize that the two Atlanta stars may both miss so, like the Knicks above, get down on this thing early.