Category Archives: anthony davis

2017 NBA All-Star Weekend Betting Odds & Picks

King Cake Baby NBA All Star Game 2017 betting oddsNBA All-Star Weekend is a fun time for NBA players to bask in their fame and rub elbows with celebrities. The game itself is usually high-scoring, but doesn’t get competitive until the fourth quarter, if it is close at all.

Some may even say the highlight of the weekend is the skills competitions that take place on Saturday night. The Slam Dunk competition has a few names in it, but nothing like the stars that would enter in its golden era. The three-point competition is probably my favorite competition of the night since there’s rarely ever something new tried in the dunk contest these days.

We list the betting odds for the All-Star Game MVP, Dunk Contest, Three-Point Competition, Rising Stars Game MVP and Skills competition winners. We also pick some winners for the prop bets.

Can D-League rookie Derrick Jones Jr. win the Slam Dunk Contest?

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2014-15 NBA Team Preview: New Orleans Pelicans

Anthony Davis New Orleans Pelicans NBAAnthony Davis is my sleeper pick for MVP. It is highly unlikely, but just like Derrick Rose did a few years back, he beat the odds and won the award over the usual candidates.

In order for Davis to become the next superstar, the Pelicans need to make the postseason. That is easier said that done in the hyper-competitive Western Conference.

New Orleans have a fun roster to watch. They can spread the court with shooters and score at the hoop with athletic finishers at the rim.

Here is the 2014-15 NBA season preview for the New Orleans Pelicans.

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2014 NBA All-Star Weekend: Betting Odds

Paul George Dunk Contest Indiana Pacers NBAThe first-half of the NBA season is nearly complete and NBA All-Star Weekend starts this Friday.

The most anticipated events are the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest and Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout on Saturday and the actual All-Star game on Sunday.

The betting odds for these three events are very interesting. There are a few favorites in each event, but some underdogs interest me. You could get a bit lucky and win a nice chunk of change.

Will Lebron James and Kevin Durant battle for the All-Star game MVP? Is the second time’s the charm for Paul George in the Slam Dunk Contest? Can Stephen Curry hold off defending champion Kyrie Irving in the Three-Point Contest?

Here are the odds for All-Star Game MVP, Slam Dunk Champion and 3-Point Shootout winner.

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2012 NBA Draft: First Round Diary

David Stern is about to me busy shaking hands and calling out draft picks’ names…don’t expect him to give out 30 ‘bro hugs’ like NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

I am keeping a running diary of the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft tonight. You should expect pick and trade analysis, fashion critiques of draft suits (I’m hoping for some hideous suits), and a lot of snarky comments throughout the night.

I’m expecting a lot of trades tonight with many teams owning multiple top 40 draft picks. Cleveland, Houston, and Boston could shake things up if they can unload their draft picks for a big return.

My running diary begins after the jump… Continue reading

2012 NBA Draft – Lottery Mock Draft

The New Orleans Hornets won the most important NBA Lottery since Lebron James was available. Anthony Davis was going #1 overall in the 2012 NBA Draft no matter which team won the lottery. He will direct the Honets in the right direction. They had the fourth best odds of winning the first pick.

I feel sorry for the Charlotte Bobcats, who had the best odds of wining the #1 pick. They had the worst winning percentage in NBA history and missed out on the biggest prize. They will still get a good player, but all their fans wanted Davis.

The order of the NBA Lottery is officially set in stone and the teams are looking towards to the future. Who will your team pick and how will that player improve their team? I breakdown the NBA Lottery and present you with my first 2012 NBA Lottery Mock Draft.

1. New Orleans Hornets – PF/C Anthony Davis (Kentucky)
This is the easiest pick to forecast in my mock draft. New Orleans won the Anthony Davis lottery. They will enjoy this more than a Mega Millions purse. The Hornets are a team that lack identity. They had to part ways with Chris Paul and David West because of salary cap issues and the team being owned by the NBA. Tom Benson stepped in and will be the future owner. Davis is the new face of the franchise and a new beginning for fans. He is the best low-post defender to come out of the draft in many years. He needs to add a lot of weight. A 220 lb. 6’10 power forward/center isn’t going to be able to do everything that he wants.

2. Charlotte Bobcats – SF Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Kentucky)
I feel sorry for Charlotte fans. They have struggled over the last few years and their team lacks a star. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is the Bobcats star of the future. As soon as he puts on a Charlotte uniform, he will be the team’s best player. He is a nice complement to Kemba Walker and Bimack Biyombo. He can defend well and out-hustle everyone on the court. He is a proven winner and will continue to improve.

3. Washington Wizards – PF Thomas Robinson (Kansas)
Washington fell a bit short and missed out on Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. MKG would have been a good fit on their team, but Thomas Robinson is more of a finished product. He can help the Wizards instantly and will be an impact player and starter in his first game. He will help in every facet of the game. John Wall will love having an inside scorer to feed all game.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers – SG Bradley Beal (Florida) (or Drummond if Beal is gone)
Cleveland was leapfrogged and fell to #4, but will still get their guy. Bradley Beal is the first tweener in the draft and fills a need for the Cavs. He is a prototypical shooting guard and has some ball handling skills if they wanted to pair him up with the second unit as point guard. He is only a year removed from high school, so he will need some molding to become a franchise player.

5. Sacramento Kings – C Andre Drummond (UConn)
The Kings have Demarcus Cousins, why would they need Drummond? Drummond is a true center and Cousins has the skills to better fit at power forward. He’s a freak athlete with a 7-foot-5 inche wingspan. He is a shot blocker and can pass out of the post. If he hits his ceiling, he could be the steal of this NBAdraft.

6. Portland Trailblazers – SF Harrison Barnes (North Carolina)
Why didn’t Harrison Barnes dominate in college? This is the question that every NBA team will ask themselves while evaluating him. He has a nice outside jumper and a high basketball IQ. He doesn’t have the athletic ability that jumps off of the paper like most #6 picks and higher have. Portland can really improve their team in this draft with two lottery selections. They can afford to gamble a little by picking Barnes at #6.

7. Golden State Warriors – PF Perry Jones III (Baylor)
Perry Jones III is listed as a power forward, but he plays more like a guard. I would compare him to Lamar Odom, since he still has rebounding ability. He is very streaky and should have dominated in college. He is a guy that scouts have mixed feelings about. He disappears in games, but with the right coaching, he can get rid of those issues.

8. Toronto Raptors – SG Dion Waiters (Syracuse)
If a player is getting comparisons to Dwyane Wade and Tyreke Evans, he definitely has a shot at being a star in the NBA. He is an explosive scorer who is a bit undersized for his position (i.e. Wade & Evans). The Raptors are in need of a player like Waiters. They struggled to put points up on the scoreboard. He needs to improve his jumper…a recurring theme in this draft.

9. Detroit Pistons – C Tyler Zeller (North Carolina)
When he chose to play at North Carolina, Tyler Zeller was a lock to leave school after his freshman year. He had all of the accolades and talent, but he lost most of his freshman year to injury. He waited his turn and developed into a better player by staying in school. The Pistons need another big to put besideGreg Monroe. They have different styles and it would be a nice marriage in the paint.

10. New Orleans Hornets – PG Damian Lillard (Weber State)
A lottery pick from Weber State?! Don’t let the small school throw you, Lillard has NBA talent. He can shoot from long-range and limits turnovers on the offensive end. The only knock on him would be that he is a tweener. The emergence of Russell Westbrook has definitely helped his stock. Every team is looking for his clone.

11. Portland Trailblazers – SG Jeremy Lamb (UConn) 
You first heard of Lamb last season when his UConn Huskies won the NCAA Tournament. He could have went out last year and been a higher pick in a much weaker draft. He is a talented two-guard that impresses with his defensive ability. He has a long wingspan and reminds me of a Tayshaun Prince coming out of college. Portland will always miss Brandon Roy, Lamb can help them move on.

12. Miluwakee Bucks – PF Jared Sullinger (Ohio State)
He’s one of the best low-post scorers and rebounders in this draft. He is too small to play center (6’9) and plays low to the ground. He has a low center of gravity and can defend players taller than him. He struggled against Kansas in the NCAA Tournament. If he had a solid game, you would be picked higher in the draft. His talent ceiling is Charles Barkley to Anthony Mason and his basement is Sean May.

13. Phoenix Suns – SG Austin Rivers (Duke)
If high school players were still allowed to be eligible for the NBA Draft, Austin Rivers would have been the #1 overall pick last year. He will help the Suns get back to their old offensive ways. He is great at going to the hoop, but is very streaky. His free-throw shooting percentage is not where you would like it to be for his position. Rivers has all of the tools to be an star in the NBA, but he’s very young and will need some molding.

14. Houston Rockets – PF Terrence Jones (Kentucky)

He is one of the most versatile players. He can help you in many ways around the court. He can rebound, block shots, and even has 3-point range. He is a player who has a position and could draw out defenses from the paint. He is another player that can disappear and have scouts scratching their heads. He would have been a top-3 pick in last year’s NBA Draft.

Next 10 Best Players Available:
PG Kendall Marshall (North Carolina)
PF John Henson (North Carolina)
SF Terrence Ross (Washington)
SF Quincy Miller (Baylor)
SF Moe Harkless (St. John’s)
PG Marquis Teague (Kentucky)
C Meyers Leonard (Illinois)
SG/SF C Evan Fournier (International)
PF Royce White (Iowa State)
C Fab Melo (Syracuse)

By: TwitterButtons.com

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

(Fake) NBA Player "Walk-Up" Songs

I was watching the L.A. Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets playoff game last night. At the end of the game, just like any other basketball game, there were a lot of free throws. After a player is fouled, there is a minute lull in-between the foul and the free throw attempt. What if each individual NBA player had their own personal “walk-up song,” like in baseball? I tweeted this out and many agreed that this needs to happen. I instantly started to think of either humorous or fitting walk-up songs for random NBA players. You have to follow basketball pretty close to get all of the references. Most of the walk-up song references are very easy to get, but a few of them are a bit obscure.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment or email me. Enjoy!

*I included a YouTube link that will open in a new window*

Kris HumphriesBen Folds Five – “Song For The Dumped”
Serge IbakaMatt & Kim – “Block After Block”
Kevin LoveBon Iver – “Skinny Love”
Lebron James Motion City Soundtrack – “Can’t Finish What You Started”
Delonte WestCypress Hill – “Insane In The Membrane”
Gordon Hayward“Olive Garden Jingle”
Kevin DurantChildish Gambino – “Backpackers”
Chris BoshMandy Moore – “Cry”
Lamar OdomSam Cooke – “That’s It, I Quit, I’m Movin’ On”
Josh McRobertsHaystak – “Whiteboy”
Blake GriffinVan Halen – “Jump”
Steve NashTenacious D – “Rize of the Fenix”
Michael BeasleyKid Cudi – “Marijuana”
Drew Gooden“Ducktales Theme Song”
J.J. RedickCollective Soul – “Gel”
Metta World PeacePretty Boy – “Throw Bows”
Glen DavisJustin Bieber – “Baby”
Amare StoudemireOrgy – “Stitches”
Gilbert ArenasM.I.A. – “Paper Planes”
Brian ScalabrineAverage White Band – “Pick Up The Pieces”
DeMarus CousinsGnarls Barkley “Crazy”
Dwight HowardSay Anything – “I Want To Know Your Plans”
John WallTroop 41 – “Do The John Wall”
Ricky RubioEl Chombo – “Chacarron Mocaron”
Patty MillsMen at Work – “Land Down Under”
Anthony DavisRise Against – “Savior”
Kyrie IrvingNelly – “Number One”
Joe JohnsonFitz & The Tantrums – “Moneygrabber”
Derrick RoseBlink-182 – “Miss You”
Greg OdenSocial Distortion – “Bad Luck”
Tyson ChandlerSilverstein – “Defend You”
Tony ParkerJoey + Rory – “Cheater, Cheater”
Tyler HansbroughSnoop Dogg – “Tha Shiznit”
Dirk NowitzkiRammstein – “Der Meister”
Matt BonnerPerv One – “Counting Money”
Josh Howard“Star Spangled Banner”
Boris DiawKanye West – “New Workout Plan”
Shaun LivingstonSleigh Bells – “Comeback Kid”
Kenyon MartinTrina – “Single Again”
Chris AndersonNelly Furtado “I’m Like A Bird”
Earl BoykinsSkee-Lo – “I Wish”
Brad MillerNsync – “Bye Bye Bye”
Eddy CurryWeird Al Yankovic – “Fat”
Jeremy LinNo Use For A Name – “Fairytale of New York”

By: TwitterButtons.com

Also, check out Projectshanks.com for some of my other work.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Can Kentucky Win 2012 NCAA Tournament?

Since George Mason’s Cinderella run in the NCAA Tournament, it has been a crap shoot. A lot of upsets and senior-laden mid-majors making long runs. A lot of this can be blamed on the NBA’s age requirement for the draft. Can Kentucky win with a team with a group of freshmen leading the way?

Anthony Davis, and his unibrow, is a monster in the paint. He is leading all of college basketball in blocks and is already setting career records at Kentucky. They are the most complete team that Kentucky has had since Antoine Walker, Ron Mercer, Walter McCarty, & Tony Delk were college students. Their only loss came against Indiana and with a buzzer-beater.

Syracuse has a shot at holding their own against Kentucky. I’ve watched many of their games, but both teams could definitely have one bad game…and that is all you need to have to get booted from the tournament.

The Wildcats are the teams with a bull’s eye on their backs. It will take a nearly perfect tournament for them to win, since most of their rotation will have careers in the NBA.

Want to see the action in person? AT&T is hosting a sweepstakes right now to go to the Final Four AND the Championship game! That’s right, you get to go to both. To enter go to http://bit.ly/ATTSweeps for details. What are you waiting for? Get in the game!

I’m sharing the Sweepstakes on behalf of AT&T but all thought and opinions are mine.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.