Cashing In

Your "Bad Beat" for Sunday is on:

Celtics (plus one) vs. Los Angeles.

There were some choices when it comes to the "Bad Beat" on Sunday but the Celtics imploding late took the cake.

The other candidates include Wiscy Milwaukee on the college hardwoods and the Devils on the ice.

Kobe and the Lakers were in a ton of trouble yesterday in Beantown. Boston controlled the game from the second quarter on and led by 11 with 9 minutes to play. That certainly should have been enough for the victory, I mean up 11 at home with 9 to play, 81-70, come on!?!?!?

But Phil Jackson's boys are the champs for a reason and are now 37-11 for a reason as well.

The Lakers went on an immediate 8-0 run to get within three and then down 89-88 in the waning seconds had their man, Kobe Bryant, nail a jumper with seven seconds remaining over unreal defense by Ray Allen, but it just didn't matter. Allen then missed a long three at the buzzer and the Lakers won by a single point in this great comeback and basically pushed the number.



Your winners for Monday are on:

4* Wizards (plus 5) vs. Boston.

2* Texas (minus 2) at Oklahoma State.

A poor poor 0-2 Sunday as my big play on 4* North Carolina was quite possibly the worst call I have ever had in my entire life!



The Wizards are fairly terrible and a team going absolutely nowhere with or without Gilbert Arenas but the way the Celtics have been playing and the fact they have played a ton of basketball of late (fourth game here in the past five days including this back-to-back) I'm not so sure that Washington won't win this game.

Of course Allen, Pierce, Rondo, Garnett and Wallace form the much better team but Boston is also a cold and gassed team that will be dragging in a major way today. They lost in a tough tough finish at Orlando blowing a huge lead, then the next night were swept 4-0 in the season series by the Hawks and yesterday (look above) crapped in their pants late against the Lakers in a narrow and depressing loss.

Things have not been going well for Doc's team of late and say what you want, Kevin Garnett, healthy or not, is not the same dominant force he used to be.

The Wizards are not good but Jamison and Butler are always at least dangerous and the C's have now lost three in a row and six of eight and are playing a fourth game in five days. Put all of that together and this is far from being an ideal spot for the visitors.



I just believe that Texas is too good tonight even if they are on the road in Stillwater. Oklahoma State has been good this season and Travis Ford is a quality coach who will have his boys get after it. James Anderson should fill it up and the Cowboys probably do believe they can beat the struggling Longhorns but when all is said and done I don't see that happening.

UT has not been nearly as good over the past few weeks as they were in the undefeated start where they were ranked number one but I do believe that Rick Barnes' squad is better than they have shown of late and will get the win here as they are just too big up front and too good and deep overall.

Look for James and Pittman to get after it in the paint and for the 'Horns depth to take advantage in the end as they get a big-time Big 12 road victory.