Closing out '08 with more Nets road love

Orlando (-6.5) over CHICAGO

New Jersey over DETROIT (-5.5)

Milwaukee over HOUSTON (-8.5)

Golden State (-2.5) over OKLAHOMA CITY

Denver (-0.5) over TORONTO

LA CLIPPERS over Philadelphia (-3.5)

Last night: 4-5

Season: 243-223

Knicks visit not-so-beloved former coach

Atlanta over INDIANA (-1.5)

CHARLOTTE (-5.5) over New York

Cleveland (-4.5) over MIAMI

MEMPHIS over Phoenix (-6.5)

Minnesota over DALLAS (-12.5)

SAN ANTONIO (-8.5) over Milwaukee

Boston (-3.5) over PORTLAND

LA Clippers over SACRAMENTO (-3.5)

Washington over NEW ORLEANS (-14.5)

Last night: 4-4

Season: 239-218

Why can't the Nets win at home?

Chicago over NEW JERSEY (-5.5)

Memphis over MINNESOTA (-2.5)

Phoenix (-9.5) over OKLAHOMA CITY

Denver over ATLANTA (-5.5)

Orlando (-2.5) over DETROIT

Washington over HOUSTON (-13.5)

UTAH (-6.5) over Philadelphia

GOLDEN STATE over Toronto (-1.5)

Last night: 3-3

Season: 235-214

No rush to pick defenseless Knicks

Denver (-3.5) over NEW YORK

CLEVELAND (-10.5) over Miami

Boston (-11.5) over SACRAMENTO

Golden State over LA LAKERS (-14.5)

New Orleans (-4.5) over INDIANA

Dallas (-0.5)* over LA CLIPPERS

No line available yet on the Dallas-LA game, so we default to making it a pick 'em game.  If a line comes out before the 3:30 tip time, that pick will be updated.

Last night: 6-2

Season: 232-211

Am I reading the Detroit line correctly?

Chicago over ATLANTA (-8.5)

Oklahoma City over WASHINGTON (-6.5)

New Jersey over CHARLOTTE (-3.5)

Memphis over SAN ANTONIO (-13.5)

PORTLAND (-8.5) over Toronto

Orlando (-8.5) over MINNESOTA

Utah over HOUSTON (-9.5)

Detroit over MILWAUKEE (-5.5)

Last night: 5-5

Season: 226-209

Sleepy Friday, Take Four

MIAMI (-5.5) over Chicago

Charlotte over NEW JERSEY (-4.5)

Minnesota over NEW YORK (-6.5)

Houston over NEW ORLEANS (-1.5)

Oklahoma City over DETROIT (-10.5)

MEMPHIS (-1.5) over Indiana

DENVER (-6.5) over Philadelphia

Dallas over UTAH (-4.5)

SACRAMENTO over Toronto (-2.5)

Boston (-10.5) over GOLDEN STATE

Last night: 2-3

Season: 221-204

Xmas slate doesn't disappoint

ORLANDO (-4.5) over New Orleans - The Magic have won nine of 10, including victories over the Spurs and Lakers. They don't have the fourth-best record in basketball for nothing.

PHOENIX (-2.5) over San Antonio - When in doubt, go with the home team in a holiday match-up where players' minds may be elsewhere.

Boston over LA LAKERS (-1.5) - We're not looking to bet against a team with 19 straight victories and the best start in NBA history.

CLEVELAND (-14.5) over Washington - LeBron's team is a lot better than DeShawn Stevenson's. And yes, it is insulting to call the Wiz Deshawn Stevenson's team. But it seemed to fit the parallelism here.

Dallas over PORTLAND (-4.5) - Dear Acks,

Merry Christmas. You're welcome.

Your friends,

Boof, Tek, J, Anil

Last night: 0-0

Tuesday: 7-5

Season: 218-202

Western showdown in the Big Easy

Oklahoma City over ATLANTA (-11.5)

CLEVELAND (-7.5) over Houston

BOSTON (-13.5) over Philadelphia

INDIANA (-3.5) over New Jersey

CHARLOTTE (-6.5) over Washington

Golden State over MIAMI (-8.5)

NEW ORLEANS (-3.5) over LA Lakers

Chicago over DETROIT (-6.5)

Memphis, Tenn. over DALLAS (-11.5)

SAN ANTONIO (-12.5) over Minnesota

Denver over PORTLAND (-8.5)

MILWAUKEE (-1.5) over Utah

Last night: 2-4

Season: 211-197

Too many points

Golden State over ORLANDO (-12.5)

NEW JERSEY over Houston (-4.5)

Sacramento over SAN ANTONIO (-13.5)

MEMPHIS over LA Lakers (-10.5)

DENVER (-3.5) over Portland

LA CLIPPERS (-2.5) over Toronto

Last night: 3-1

Season: 209-193

Feeling the big favorites

ATLANTA (-2.5) over Detroit - The Hawks play excellent ball at home, and though the Pistons are heating up, they have yet to convince us they're back to normal in the post-Billups era.

BOSTON (-14.5) over New York - The champs are playing their most consistent offensive ball yet.  The Knicks seem confused.

Dallas (-5.5) over WASHINGTON - The Wizards just lost to the Brand-less Sixers at home.  We're not interested.

Cleveland (-12.5) over OKLAHOMA CITY - If you had OKC and 34.5 last time around for these two teams, you lost.  No reason to expect anything too far different this time around.

Last night: 5-5

Season: 206-192

Back-to-back Florida Ls for Lake Show?

CHARLOTTE (-5.5) over Golden State

NEW JERSEY (-3.5) over Miami

Sacramento over NEW ORLEANS (-15.5)

Houston (-5.5) over MINNESOTA

Utah (-0.5) over CHICAGO

MILWAUKEE (-4.5) over LA Clippers

SAN ANTONIO (-10.5) over Toronto

Denver over PHOENIX (-4.5)

ORLANDO over LA Lakers (-1.5)

Indiana over PHILADELPHIA (-10.5)

Last night: 4-8

Season: 201-187

Sleepy Friday, Take Three

Golden State over ATLANTA (-9.5)

BOSTON (-12.5) over Chicago

Milwaukee over NEW YORK (-3.5)

Dallas (-3.5) over NEW JERSEY

INDIANA (-2.5) over LA Clippers

Sacramento over HOUSTON (-12.5)

Toronto (-5.5) over OKLAHOMA CITY

LA Lakers (-7.5) over MIAMI

DENVER (-1.5) over Cleveland

WASHINGTON over Philadelphia (-0.5)

Utah over DETROIT (-3.5)

MEMPHIS (-3.5) over Charlotte

Last night: 1-1

Season: 197-179

Spurs to come back strong in road back-to-back?

San Antonio over ORLANDO (-3.5) - The loss last night notwithstanding, the Spurs' recent rise from the depths of injury purgatory seems to have put the fear of God back in the rest of the league.  Or close to it.

Phoenix over PORTLAND (-5.5) - With the exception of a whacking of the Kings, the Blazers have struggled of late.

Last night: 6-3

Season: 196-178

Is Celts-Hawks a rivalry?

Boston (-3.5) over ATLANTA

INDIANA (-6.5) over Golden State

PHILADELPHIA (-3.5) over Milwaukee

Dallas (-2.5) over TORONTO

Washington over DETROIT (-10.5)

San Antonio over NEW ORLEANS (-2.5)

Utah (-2.5) over NEW JERSEY

Cleveland (-9.5) over MINNESOTA

CHICAGO (-3.5) over LA Clippers

Last night: 3-3

Season: 190-175

Big favorites not rolling it up out west

Chicago (-1.5) over CHARLOTTE - We'll need more points to take the dogs in what should be a lopsided point guard match-up.

LA Clippers (-4.5) over OKLAHOMA CITY - There remains little to like about the Thunder.

New Orleans (-5.5) over MEMPHIS - Sure, the Grizz are hot.  But the Hornets are a lot better.

Denver over HOUSTON (-3.5) - The wins since the Billups acquisition just keep piling up.  At what point this season will the Rockets be completely healthy?

New York over LA LAKERS (-13.5) and Sacramento over PORTLAND (-12.5) - See headline.  We'll pass on the big lines.

Last night: 7-2

Season: 187-172

New coaches do battle at ARCO

Charlotte over ATLANTA (-7.5)

Indiana over WASHINGTON (-2.5)

New Jersey over TORONTO (-5.5)

BOSTON (-9.5) over Utah

MIAMI (-5.5) over Milwaukee

Denver over DALLAS (-2.5)

New York over PHOENIX (-9.5)

SACRAMENTO (-4.5) over Minnesota

Orlando (-4.5) over GOLDEN STATE

Last night: 2-2

Season: 180-170

Can the Thunder be competitive twice in Texas?

New Orleans (-1.5) over TORONTO - The Hornets are just better, and this line is low.

SAN ANTONIO (-15.5) over Oklahoma City - The Thunder lost the first game of a Texas back-to-back by four last night.  Seems like setting themselves up to get wiped out tonight.

Minnesota over LA LAKERS (-16.5) - Seems like it has been a while since the Lakers really rolled it up on someone.

Miami (-1.5) over MEMPHIS - We'll take our chances with Dwyane.

Last night: 2-8

Season: 178-168

Are lists the way to go?

Feels like we're starting to get hot...wouldn't want mess that up by actually explaining these picks to act like we know what we're talking about...

Cleveland (-3.5) over ATLANTA

Detroit (-1.5) over CHARLOTTE

Washington over PHILADELPHIA (-5.5)

CHICAGO (-4.5) over New Jersey

DALLAS (-12.5) over Oklahoma City

Indiana over MILWAUKEE (-4.5)

Golden State over DENVER (-15.5)

UTAH (-5.5) over Orlando

SACRAMENTO (-1.5) over New York

Houston (-3.5) over LA CLIPPERS

Last night: 7-4

Season: 176-160

Sleepy Friday Returns

CLEVELAND (-10.5) over Philadelphia

MIAMI (-2.5) over Atlanta

NEW JERSEY (-3.5) over Toronto

BOSTON (-6.5) over New Orleans

Indiana over DETROIT (-7.5)

San Antonio (-6.5) over MINNESOTA

Chicago (-1.5) over MEMPHIS

Orlando over PHOENIX (-1.5)

LA Clippers over PORTLAND (-9.5)

GOLDEN STATE over Houston (-2.5)

Sacramento over LA LAKERS (-16.5)

Last night: 2-1

Season: 169-156

No interest in Charlotte sans Richardson

Boston (-9.5) over WASHINGTON - Twelve straight wins and counting.  We'll ride the champs.

DALLAS (-13.5) over Charlotte - See headline.

UTAH (-2.5) over Portland - Without getting double-digits, Acks tends to be really loath to take the Blazers.  Sooner or later, he'll see the light.  Not quite yet.

Last night: 4-5

Season: 167-155

UPDATE: LA LAKERS (-12.5) over Phoenix

No Shaq due to a death in the family.  Raja Bell and Boris Diaw have been traded to Charlotte for Jason Richardson.  Suns will be super-shorthanded.

Raps' slide to continue?

Indiana over TORONTO (-3.5) - The Raps will have to win again before we're willing to take them as a favorite.

New York over NEW JERSEY (-8.5) - The fast-paced Knicks should be able to put up just enough points to lose close.

Charlotte over NEW ORLEANS (-12.5) - The Hornets haven't been consistent enough to make us comfortable with this line.

Cleveland (-6.5) over PHILADELPHIA - The Cavs have won nine straight games by double-digits.

Memphis (-2.5) over OKLAHOMA CITY - The Thunder continue to not be any good.

Phoenix over LA LAKERS (-12.5) - Too many points for a team that blew fourth-quarter leads in Indy and Washington last week and lost handily to Sacramento last night.

DENVER (-12.5) over Minnesota - The Kevin McHale coaching era won't likely be much better than the rest of the Kevin McHale front office era.

SAN ANTONIO (-7.5) over Atlanta - We're riding the Spurs on a night-to-night basis these days.

GOLDEN STATE (-2.5) over Milwaukee - Leave us out when it comes to the Bucks on the road, especially in the tail end of a back-to-back.

Last night: 6-3

Season: 163-150

Quick Picks Tuesday

CLEVELAND (-12.5) over Toronto

WASHINGTON over Detroit (-4.5)

CHICAGO (-7.5) over New York

Utah (-4.5) over MINNESOTA

SACRAMENTO over LA Lakers (-12.5)

Orlando over PORTLAND (-5.5)

PHOENIX (-7.5) over Milwaukee

Atlanta over HOUSTON (-6.5)

San Antonio (-4.5) over DALLAS

Last night: 2-2

Season: 157-147

Picks at the gun

We're right up against tip-off, so here you go:

MIAMI (-7.5) over Charlotte

Golden State over OKLAHOMA CITY (-3.5)

Orlando (-4.5) over LA CLIPPERS

Houston (-6.5) over MEMPHIS

Last night: 2-2

Season: 155-145

Triano and Toronto return home

Detroit (-6.5) over NEW YORK - The Pistons should be sufficiently angry after losing to the Sixers sans Elton Brand on Friday night.

TORONTO over Portland (-2.5) - When the only thing Portland has to be excited about is the return of Martell Webster, it's a bad sign.

Boston (-7.5) over INDIANA - The champs remember what happened last time around in Indiana. They'll be ready this time.

Milwaukee over LA LAKERS (-14.5) - The Lakers returning from an East Coast swing could mean they are a bit sluggish out of the gate. They'll win, but perhaps not by enoug.

Last night: 8-2

Season: 153-143

Good thing we pick the NBA instead of the Big 12 title game

That's because I don't have the heart to give 16 1/2 points against Missouri, but I wouldn't want any part of my Tigers either on that line.  So on to basketball...

Cleveland (-8.5) over CHARLOTTE

MIAMI (-11.5) over Oklahoma City

New Jersey over PHILADELPHIA (-2.5)

NEW ORLEANS (-14.5) over Memphis

MINNESOTA (-2.5) over LA Clippers

Atlanta over DALLAS (-7.5)

SAN ANTONIO (-12.5) over Golden State

Utah over PHOENIX (-7.5)

Denver (-6.5) over SACRAMENTO

Washington over CHICAGO (-8.5)

Last night: 7-4

Season: 145-141

Sleepy Friday

ORLANDO (-13.5) over Oklahoma City

LA Lakers (-11.5) over WASHINGTON

New York over ATLANTA (-10.5)

BOSTON (-7.5) over Portland

CLEVELAND (-11.5) over Indiana

Philadelphia over DETROIT (-9.5)

Charlotte over MILWAUKEE (-4.5)

NEW JERSEY (-6.5) over Minnesota

UTAH (-6.5) over Toronto

MEMPHIS (-1.5) over LA Clippers

Golden State over HOUSTON (-9.5)

Last night: 0-2

Season: 138-137

Nugs to stay hot at high altitude?

Phoenix over DALLAS (-4.5) - The Mavs have rebounded from a 2-7 start with a 7-1 run.  Their opponents over that stretch: Knicks, Bobcats, Rockets (no Yao), Grizzlies, Pacers, Lakers (loss), Kings, Clippers.  We're not totally on board yet.

DENVER (-4.5) over San Antonio - The Billups Express keeps on rolling: The Nugs are 12-3 with him in the lineup, and they'll have to hurt us before we go away from them.

Last night: 7-4

Season: 138-135

Wednesday long slate quicks

Memphis over ATLANTA (-9.5)

CLEVELAND (-15.5) over New York

CHARLOTTE (-8.5) over Oklahoma City

BOSTON (-14.5) over Indiana

ORLANDO (9.5) over Minnesota

LA Lakers (-7.5) over PHILADELPHIA

WASHINGTON over Portland (-7.5)

Phoenix over NEW ORLEANS (-6.5)

Chicago over MILWAUKEE (-4.5)

LA Clippers over Houston (-11.5)

Miami over UTAH (-5.5)

Last night: 3-5

Season: 131-131

Overachieving Nets return to Swamp

LA Lakers (-8.5) over INDIANA - Sometimes, it just makes sense to take the much better team.

NEW JERSEY (-5.5) over Washington - The Nets looked very impressive out west, scoring wins over Sacramento, Phoenix and Utah.  The Wiz are a joke.

NEW YORK over Portland (-6.5) - At some point, Acks will start boosting his own team again.  We have yet to reach that point.

CHICAGO (-3.5) over Philadelphia - The Bulls rolled in and beat the Sixers handily in Philly on Sunday.  We see no reason Derrick Rose won't continue to dominate 'Dre Miller.

LA Clippers over DALLAS (-11.5) - Too many points.

SAN ANTONIO (-4.5) over Detroit - The black and silver are healthy and heating up.  We're gettin' out the way and letting the Spurs do their thing.

DENVER (-6.5) over Toronto - No reason to believe the Nugs won't keep rollin' as they have been since the Billups acquisition.

Utah over SACRAMENTO (-2.5) - Deron Williams is playing so far as we know.  We're confused by this line.

Last night: 2-1

Season: 128-126

Wolves still don't have our faith

CHARLOTTE (-3.5) over Minnesota - Good showing for the Wolves last week against Detroit, but we're still a bit shy about picking this team, especially on the road.

BOSTON (-8.5) over Orlando - The champs have won eight in a row and seem to be starting to hit a stride.

Miami (-3.5) over GOLDEN STATE - Acks: "Didn't this Golden State team give up 190 at the Garden just a few nights ago?" Ed's note: It was 138.  But we get his point.

Last night: 4-1

Season: 126-125