The first full month of the NBA season has been tough to get the head around and we have seen too many strange results to really feel good about it. The first month can always be erratic as teams find their places, while the long off season means other teams haven't found their chemistry just yet.
The real disappointments so far have been my favourite team, the New York Knicks, and their city rivals in the Brooklyn Nets in what has been a terrible Atlantic Division- the Division is bad enough for me to still have the Knicks and Nets as the two top teams in it and I expect both to find a way to pick up form in the coming months.
Derrick Rose's injury is a real disappointment for the neutral and I think the Chicago Bulls are going to struggle to get to the Eastern Conference Semi Finals this time around. It is a shame for the whole Eastern Conference that their teams are struggling to such an extent that the Indiana Pacers-Miami Heat Conference Finals looks inevitable even five months before the season has started.
The Western Conference remains very competitive and I would expect the battle for the Play Offs to go right down to the wire as it did last year. I am also excited to see Kobe Bryant back on the court and this is the month the Black Mamba will return for the LA Lakers, which could help the Lakers return to the Play Offs after a mixed start to the season.
I am not a Lakers fan, but you have to admire the skills Bryant brings to the court and I do hope that he can return to something like his best, although we may not see that until the new year once he gets a few games under his belt.
The picks haven't made a great start to the season, but they didn't last year either as the first couple of months can be tough to get a real read on. Hopefully I can find a way to kick on this month and get the season tally back into the positive.
December 5th
New York Knicks @ Brooklyn Nets Pick: These two teams have had a terrible first month of the season, but both are at least in the worst Division in the NBA and can get things turned around. I think the Knicks have been close to snapping their losing run in the last couple of games and I think they can get over the bump in this one against a Brooklyn team that will have a lot of pressure on them from the home crowd.
Miami Heat @ Chicago Bulls Pick: The Chicago Bulls have made life very difficult for Miami in the regular season, even without Derrick Rose, and that is hard to ignore. However, they have a lot of basketball in their legs after the triple-overtime loss to New Orleans and the Heat should be too strong for them this time around and get back to winning ways.
December 11th
Orlando Magic @ Charlotte Bobcats Pick: The Charlotte Bobcats look like a genuine team that can make the Eastern Conference Play Offs and have won 3 in a row at home. Facing an Orlando team that has struggled on the road is one thing, but the Magic may also be looking forward to returning home as this concludes a 6 game road trip and I like the Bobcats to cover.
San Antonio Spurs @ Milwaukee Bucks Pick: Both of these teams played last night and both have a big game to look forward to in a couple of days- San Antonio have the deeper rotation and are the superior team. Milwaukee are 2-8 against the spread at home and may be looking forward to hosting Chicago in a couple of days after knocking them off on the road last night.
December 12th
LA Clippers @ Brooklyn Nets Pick: This is going to be an emotional night on both sides of the court and should be a fascinating game between two teams in decent nick. The back to back concerns me for the LA Clippers, but I still like Doc Rivers to continue his return to the East Coast with a positive run.
December 13th
Cleveland Cavaliers @ Orlando Magic Pick: Cleveland are a much improved team and I feel it is only a matter of time before they start producing winning performances on the road. However, they play in Miami on Saturday night and may just overlook a tough Orlando team that is getting healthier and I like the home team to win and cover.
Sacramento Kings @ Phoenix Suns Pick: Sacramento may just need a little time to build the chemistry between their two stars, Rudy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins, while they may also overlook or under-estimate a team they have beaten twice this season already. Phoenix will look to expose any uncertainty in the Kings line up and will have a little revenge on their mind so I look for them to cover.
December 18th
Sacramento Kings @ Atlanta Hawks Pick: The Sacramento Kings could be without a big piece of their team if Rudy Gay can't go in this one, while they haven't been playing that well. Atlanta are not a team to rely on with their inconsistent play, but they should be focused and prove too strong for the Kings.
December 19th
Chicago Bulls @ Oklahoma City Thunder Pick: The Chicago Bulls have been struggling in recent games and they don't look like having enough points to make this competitive to me. I am a little concerned with the Oklahoma City spot considering they play San Antonio next, but they have a winning run to look after and I see them pulling away for another comfortable win over Chicago.
December 20th
Milwaukee Bucks @ Cleveland Cavaliers Pick: Neither team has a winning record but Cleveland have at least shown some heart in recent games. They should be too good for a Milwaukee team that may not be able to keep up offensively in this one.
Minnesota Timberwolves @ LA Lakers Pick: Kobe Bryant is out for the next six weeks and there are too many injuries for them to overcome immediately. The Lakers may be feeling sorry for themselves in losing their star name for more time after just getting him back and they may have a let down performance against a team that has blown them out here once already this season.
December 23rd
Atlanta Hawks @ Miami Heat Pick: The Miami Heat have dominated the Atlanta Hawks in recent games including a 16 point win last month and I think they can take the win with the cover in this one. Miami have to ignore the fact that they are facing the Lakers on Christmas Day, and that is a concern, but their performances against Atlanta are hard to ignore.
Dallas Mavericks @ Houston Rockets Pick: The Houston Rockets should have Jeremy Lin back in the rotation, but are another team that has to ignore the fact that they are playing on Christmas Day. Playing a rival from within their State should be enough to inspire Houston to cover in this one against a Dallas team that isn't as strong on the road.
December 25th
Merry Christmas to one and all...
Oklahoma City Thunder @ New York Knicks Pick: New York may rally with the nation watching this game and none of the players will want to be embarrassed in this game. However, Carmelo Anthony's absence would be a big blow to the home team and I don't think they can keep up with the point-scoring ability of the Oklahoma City Thunder who will be powered by Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant.
Miami Heat @ LA Lakers Pick: I think this is one game that the entire LA Lakers rotation can get up for and I expect them to make the Miami Heat work hard for any victory they will get here. If the Lakers get hot from the three point arc as Atlanta did, it could be a close game, but otherwise you have to think the Heat will make a statement with a comfortable win on the road.
December 27th
Toronto Raptors @ New York Knicks Pick: There is still no news as to whether Carmelo Anthony will play in this game, but the Knicks are coming in off another low with an embarrassing home loss against Oklahoma City on Christmas Day. Toronto have enough scoring potential to see off the Knicks in the first of a home and home series which is concluded tomorrow.
Denver Nuggets @ New Orleans Pelicans Pick: Anthony Davis is back and the Pelicans have snapped a 4 game losing run with a win over the Sacramento Kings. Denver themselves have lost 4 in a row and haven't covered in any of those games and I like the Pelicans to make that 5 in a row.
December 28th
New York Knicks @ Toronto Raptors Pick: The Toronto Raptors started badly yesterday but still managed to beat the Knicks easily enough and I think they can do the same again in this game. Carmelo Anthony remains questionable for the Knicks who have too many injuries to overcome at the moment.
December 29th
Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder Pick: The Thunder are without Russell Westbrook for the next couple of months and we saw how much less effective they were without their starting Point Guard in the Play Offs last season.
Houston can score with the best of teams in the NBA and I think they have enough points in the team to think the 4.5 points they are getting are too much in this game. My only concern is that this is the fourth game in 5 days for the Rockets and tiredness is a factor, although they will be looking to make a statement against one of the best teams in the Western Conference.
MY PICKS: 05/12 New York Knicks @ 1.92 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
05/12 Miami Heat - 4.5 Points @ 1.95 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
11/12 Charlotte Bobcats - 5 Points @ 1.95 Paddy Power (1 Unit)
11/12 San Antonio Spurs - 11 Points @ 1.95 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
12/12 LA Clippers - 2 Points @ 1.95 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
13/12 Orlando Magic - 2 Points @ 2.00 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
13/12 Phoenix Suns - 6.5 Points @ 2.00 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
18/12 Atlanta Hawks - 6 Points @ 1.92 Bet Victor (1 Unit)
19/12 Oklahoma City Thunder - 13 Points @ 2.00 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
20/12 Cleveland Cavaliers - 7.5 Points @ 1.95 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
20/12 Minnesota Timberwolves - 5.5 Points @ 1.95 Coral (1 Unit)
23/12 Miami Heat - 8 Points @ 1.95 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
23/12 Houston Rockets - 4.5 Points @ 2.00 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
25/12 Oklahoma City Thunder - 9 Points @ 2.00 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
25/12 Miami Heat - 9 Points @ 2.00 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
27/12 Toronto Raptors - 2.5 Points @ 1.92 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
27/12 New Orleans Pelicans - 3 Points @ 1.92 Bet Victor (1 Unit)
28/12 Toronto Raptors - 6 Points @ 1.95 Paddy Power (1 Unit)
29/12 Houston Rockets + 4.5 Points @ 1.95 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
December 2013 Update: 8-11, - 3.42 Units
November 2013 Final: 8-7-1, + 0.82 Units
October 2013 Final: 0-4, - 4 Units
Season 2014: 8-11-1, - 3.18 Units
Final Season 2013: 105-93-3, + 10.49 Units
Final Season 2012: 79-53-1, + 27.48 Units
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