Home | Sports Forums | Chat Room | Blog | Free Picks | Sportsbooks | Matchups | Odds | Injuries | Articles | Links | Contact Us

Posts Tagged ‘Memphis Grizzlies’

April 30th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

NBA Betting Bonus Offer From Premium Cappersinfo Sponsor
Get a 100% Free Play Bonus @ JustBet Sportsbook By Clicking Here!
Get An Exclusive VIP Service Agent & 50% Match Play Bonus on Reloads From Cappersinfo

It was awfully unpredictable to think that the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Memphis Grizzlies would be playing each other in the second round of the playoffs, but that’s where we are at. One of these two will beat the NBA playoffs odds and make it to the NBA Finals, and we have our postseason NBA picks for this crucial series.

How the Grizzlies Can Win This Series
The Grizz have really had a very predictable formula for beating the NBA odds thus far in the playoffs. They’re just going to work really, really hard, win all of the hustle stats, make a few timely shots, and come up clutch in the end. That was the only way that they were able to beat a San Antonio Spurs team that truly outclassed them in the first round of the playoffs, yet the series really never was all that close.

The question is whether the stars are going to be there to keep up with the scoring prowess of the Thunder. Zach Randolph could get away with 20-25 point games making him the top scorer against the Spurs, but that just won’t be the case against the Thunder. We really don’t see anyone else being able to step up and knock down 10 shots in a game on a regular basis, which really puts a lot of pressure on the man in the middle. In fairness, Randolph did have 31 points in the close out game against the Spurs, so he definitely is capable, but pulling it off again and again against Oklahoma City is a different story.

Mike Conley Jr. did just about everything for the Grizz in the first round, accounting for right around 14 points, six assists, and four boards per game. Marc Gasol was the double-double machine with just over 14 points and a dozen rebounds on the average night. These two will have to be clutch, and someone else will have to come forward on a regular basis, whether it be OJ Mayo, Darrell Arthur, Sam Young, or an unheralded hero for Memphis to march on to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in team history.

How the Thunder Can Win This Series
The equation is now absolutely right for the Thunder. Sure, looking at the stats for Kendrick Perkins and Nazr Mohammad isn’t all that impressive, but these two really have brought a toughness to the defense for Oklahoma City in the paint, and the end result was holding one of the best offensive teams in the game below its scoring average in five straight games.

Last season, there was really only Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in the playoffs. Sure, Jeff Green and James Harden did their thing from time to time against the eventual champs, the Los Angeles Lakers, but if Westbrook and Durant didn’t get the job done, no one was really able to. Now, it’s true that these two are the big time heroes of this team once again. Durant averaged 32.4 points per game, while Westbrook was at 23.8 points per game against the Nuggets. However, they were definitely not the only stars that were able to shine.

Serge Ibaka was really the man that came up big, and if he dominates both on the glass and in the blocks department the same way that he did against Denver, it’s all over but the crying for the Grizzlies. Ibaka scored 10.2 points, brought down 11.0 boards, and blocked 4.8 shots per game in the series against Denver.

The Last Word – Memphis definitely has the ability to compete in this series, and it will find itself favored in games on its home court assuming that the Thunder don’t just absolutely roll with two easy wins in the Sooner State to get started. Don’t be shocked if this ends up being a heck of a lot better of a series than it is billed for. Both of these teams are going to fight tooth and nail, but in the end, it’s home court advantage that will rule the day. NBA Playoffs Picks: Thunder in 7

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in NBA Basketball | No Comments »

 
April 27th, 2011 By Louie - Cappersinfo Admin

NBA Playoffs Betting Bonus Offer From Premium Cappersinfo Sponsor
Massive 100% Bonus (up to $2500) @ JustBet By Clicking Here!!
Deposit Instantly via Checking Account or Credit Card @ JustBet!!
Personal VIP Service Agent & 50% Match Play Bonus on Reloads Exclusively from Cappersinfo

Again, our blog writers and handicappers just keep rolling along. Our bloggers are currently 8-2 with their NBA playoff picks; including a 2-0 Monday night with the Lakers & over. Our forum members are currently red hot in the bases as well as the NBA playoffs. Be sure to check them out as well as the Free MLB contests on the forums that are starting this weekend.

Here’s another rock solid NBA playoff move from “The Raven”. This one is for the all important game 5 match-up between San Antonio and Memphis. Here at Cappersinfo.com, we will continue to work hard to not only bring you daily picks, but bring you quality picks from REAL handicappers. That’s the Cappersinfo difference.

NBA Matchup: Memphis Grizzlies @ San Antonio Spurs
Game Date/Time: Wednesday, April 27th, 8:35 ET
Location: AT&T Center- San Antonio, Texas
NBA Odds: San Antonio Spurs -6.5
Over/Under Odds: 189

Game Analysis: Who could have imagined we would be coming back to San Antonio for game 5 with the Spurs trailing three games to one? However that is where we stand at the moment with the Spurs collective backs against the wall in need of a win in game 5 at home or the season is over and the number one seed loses in the first round. There is no longer any margin for error and the Spurs had better get the momentum back on their side. So far this series Memphis has controlled the play both offensively and defensively. I have faith however that the experienced Spurs won’t go out without a fight. The best asset they have right now considering how sporadic the offense has been is their team defense. San Antonio has allowed Memphis to shoot 50% twice in the series and in both those games they allowed 100 points and came out on the losing end. In the other two games they held Memphis to 91 and 87 respectively on 40% and 42% shooting. I think in game 5 you will see a defensive intensity we have not yet seen from San Antonio in this series. Where the Spurs have had the most problems in this series is on offense averaging just 91 PPG. You have to give a lot of that credit to Memphis who has played excellent defense this series. I expect that defensive tenacity to continue for the Grizzlies in game 5. The total in this very important game is set at 189 which is within a half point of the lowest total yet for the 5 game series. I have to side with under 189 in this game expecting the Spurs to play the kind of defense that has led them to the number one seed in the Western Conference this year. I think Memphis will play well too and as far as the side goes it’s too close to call. However the under 189 stands out as a great play in the NBA playoffs going Wednesday night.

Free NBA Playoff Picks: UNDER 189

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in NBA Basketball | No Comments »

 
February 18th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

With the NBA's trading deadline just a few hours away, there have already been sweeping changes from coast to coast. And I'll bet with the headline of this post, you think I'm talking about Caron Butler or Antawn Jamison or Kevin Martin or Amare Stoudemire…

Guess again. 

I'll be the first to admit it… As I was sitting down and watching ESPN on Wednesday night and I saw, "Breaking News" come across the Bottom Line and then saw that the New York Knicks had reached an agreement to trade… I immediately stopped, looked back down at my computer, and continued my work. I figured that this was finally the T-Mac deal that everyone was talking about that would send the former All-Star to the Big Apple.

 "Good for him," I thought.  I should've thought twice.

Though McGrady was traded from Houston on Wednesday, it wasn't to New York. It was to Sacramento. Instead, the Knicks pulled off the move of the century.

In what probably amounted to be the least interesting and least impactful trade in the history of sports as we know it, Darko Milicic was traded to the Timberwolves for Brian Cardinal.

All together now: "Woohoo"

Remember when Darko was considered the next big thing on the international scene? Some people thought that he should've been the #1 overall pick that year… over some guy named LeBron. Oops. Instead, the Pistons grabbed Milicic with the #2 pick in front of stiffs like Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade.

Has there ever been a less relevant draft pick crammed in and amongst as many superstars as Darko? We all know the story of how Milicic started his career on HC Larry Brown's bench and never really emerged as anything more than a mop up player. Now, he's the butt of basically every joke in the league, including this one.

Just last month, Milicic demanded to be released from his contract, but not without collecting on his cool $7.5M. He told the New York Post that, "I would be the happiest guy if I was home with my baby." Now, just over a month later, he was sent to a version of basketball's purgatory: Minnesota.

Maybe it's a good idea to go home, Darko. You're still young, yet as the #2 overall pick in the draft… a draft position that has often provided franchises with the players that have changed their entire team history… you've only managed to be bounced around through Detroit, Orlando, Memphis, New York, and now Minnesota, and you've been dubbed, "The Human Victory Cigar," because you're only on the court for whatever team you're playing for when games are out of reach.

Truth be told, we don't even really know if Darko can ball or if he's just another prototypical big, goofy looking stiff. Maybe the opportunity is finally there for him.

While the other members of that draft class are all entering their free agent seasons and will be signing huge contracts in the summer, Milicic needs to head home and go try to reinvent himself as a player. Maybe then, someone will prove that he truly is wanted in basketball.

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in NBA Basketball | No Comments »