Battle of lightweights in Minny

Chicago over ORLANDO (-8.5)
New Orleans (-8.5) over WASHINGTON
Utah over ATLANTA (-1.5)
PHILADELPHIA (-6.5) over Toronto
DETROIT (-6.5) over New York
Boston over MIAMI (-3.5)
MINNESOTA (-2.5) over Memphis
LA Lakers over HOUSTON (-3.5)
Oklahoma City over DENVER (-13.5)
Dallas over PORTLAND (-7.5)
New Jersey over GOLDEN STATE (-3.5)

Last night: 4-2

Season: 486-468

Life sans Big Al begins in Minny

ATLANTA (-7.5) over Washington

Cleveland (-5.5) over INDIANA

San Antonio (-4.5) over NEW JERSEY

Denver (-0.5) over MIAMI

Toronto (-1.5) over NEW ORLEANS

Detroit over CHICAGO (-2.5)

Sacramento over DALLAS (-11.5)

GOLDEN STATE (-4.5) over New York

Oklahoma City over LA LAKERS (-12.5)

Last night: 1-3

Season: 390-373

Las Vegas lovin' keeps up for Wolves

Dallas over DETROIT (-4.5)

INDIANA over Houston (-0.5)

CHARLOTTE over Phoenix (-4.5)

Toronto over CHICAGO (-2.5)

Memphis over NEW YORK (-6.5)

Cleveland (-6.5) over GOLDEN STATE

LA CLIPPERS over Oklahoma City (-1.5)

New Jersey over SAN ANTONIO (-12.5)

New Orleans (-0.5) over MINNESOTA

Milwaukee over ATLANTA (-5.5)

Last night: 2-0

Season: 329-300

McHale-led Wolves look to stay hot in Utah

Atlanta over CHICAGO (-2.5)

Indiana over SAN ANTONIO (-8.5)

DENVER (-10.5) over Sacramento

Minnesota over UTAH (-9.5)

Last night: 6-6

Season: 317-295

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

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

Dog Day Sunday

Just two games in the Association on the first Sunday of the season.  We want no part of giving points with either favorite.

Milwaukee over NEW YORK (-5.5)

Minnesota over OKLAHOMA CITY (-2.5)

Last night: 9-5

Season: 22-17

The Picksix: Pistons to cool off Wolves

New Orleans over ORLANDO (-1.5) -- We're tired of hearing the Magic whine about not getting enough respect. The Hornets are the better basketball team. This could be conducive to their winning the contest.

Philadelphia over NEW JERSEY (-0.5) -- It's been a beastly two months for the Sixers. We'll keep riding them.

MILWAUKEE (-6.5) over New York -- We're sticking it out with the Tek Doctrine.

Detroit (-6.5) over MINNESOTA -- Fortunately, the Wolves' victory over Utah made this line quite low.

Boston (-6.5) over CHICAGO -- The Celts are rolling quickly toward that number one seed in the East.

Golden State over SAN ANTONIO (-7.5) -- The Warriors have a lot more to fight for than the Spurs do. This game needs to mean more to them.

Phoenix over DENVER (-5.5) -- The Suns outclassed Denver in Phoenix last night and have now won 10 of 12. Home-court or not, they are starting to hit their stride.

Houston (-2.5) over SACRAMENTO -- The Rockets need to win the 'gimmes' if they are going to lock in that playoff spot sans Yao.

Last night: 5-1
Season: 578-526

The Picksix: 'Tanker' gone in Minny

INDIANA (-6.5) over Charlotte -- We don't get too high on teams that lose in Memphis, as the 'Cats did earlier this week.

Miami over TORONTO (-12.5) -- The Heat are streaking: one straight!

Washington over ORLANDO (-7.5) -- Lots of talking about respect from the Magic, too much inconsistency to earn it as fully as they would like.

Denver over PHILADELPHIA (-1.5) -- Hard to see the Sixers managing to keep up with the Nuggets' torrid pace all the way through.

Atlanta over NEW JERSEY (-2.5) -- We can't read either of these teams at all, so we're just taking the points and the more likable bunch.

Houston over NEW ORLEANS (-1.5) -- We could cut the Rockets some slack here after last night's blowout loss to the Celts. After all, they have won 22 of 23.

CLEVELAND (-1.5) over Detroit -- The Pistons played the Nugs' game and won last night, 136-120. Playing again the night after that -- especially with LeBron as the opponent -- might be a bit too much to ask a team that prides itself on its ability to not care.

MINNESOTA (-6.5) over Memphis -- The Wolves should be set to roll now that the tanking machine that is Kevin Garnett (see Glen Taylor's comments on Tuesday for details) is done bringing the team down. Makes you wonder about the 50 losses he has missed this season though.

SEATTLE over Phoenix (-10.5) -- The Sonics have hung tough with the Suns thus far this season, keeping all three of their previous match-ups in single digits.

Golden State (-8.5) over LA CLIPPERS -- The Dubs missed a golden chance to stretch their lead over Denver in the playoff race when they lost in Sacto last night. They won't let that bit of misfortune repeat itself against the hapless Clips.

Last night: 4-3
Season: 517-488

The Picksix: Abominations collide in Seattle

LA Clippers over ATLANTA (-8.5) -- Tonight's only entry in the "too many points" category.

BOSTON (-6.5) over Utah -- The Celts have won ten straight and will remain eager to prove that they can hang with the league's best. Utah is one of those teams.

Orlando (-11.5) over MIAMI -- The Flash-free Heat are packing it in.

San Antonio over DETROIT (-2.5) -- The Spurs may actually be eager to make a statement after losses to Phoenix, Denver and New Orleans in the past week.

LA Lakers (-1.5) over NEW ORLEANS -- They're just too good right now.

HOUSTON (-12.5) over Charlotte -- We picked against the Rockets once already this week. My, that was dumb.

Philadelphia over CHICAGO (-2.5) -- The Sixers have won 13 of 17 and will continue their push upwards in the Eastern playoff picture.

DALLAS (-12.5) over Indiana -- The Mavs have spent the week spanking bad teams at home, having beaten the Knicks by 29 and the 'Cats by 25. No reason for that to change here.

DENVER (-10.5) over Toronto -- No rush on the Raps until CB4 comes off the injury report once and for all.

SEATTLE (-2.5) over Minnesota -- The home team will suffice for this battle of lottery-bounds.

Last night: 0-3
Season: 496-469