NBA Betting: ‘Capping the downtrodden
NBA Betting: ‘Capping the downtrodden
Are they just snake-bitten with bad luck and injuries, or is it simply some poor decisions by management up in the front office? In the cases of the Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma Thunder and Washington Wizards, perhaps it is a little of each. That trio of NBA franchises is off to a combined 7-31 so far this season with up seemingly the only direction they can travel at this point...or is it?
Give me your tired veterans, your poor coaches, your huddled masses yearning to be faded.
All apologies to Emma Lazarus, but her poem “The New Colussus” (which is famously inscribed on a plaque at the Statue of Liberty) is an easy target when talking about the worst teams in the NBA – the wretched refuse of David Stern’s teeming shore. The Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Washington Wizards have a combined record of 7-41 SU and 18-30 ATS. All three franchises have gone through years of front-office turmoil, but each took a different path to get to this low point.
Los Angeles Clippers (3-13 SU, 5-11 ATS)
Donald Sterling, former notorious tightwad owner extraordinaire, has rarely heard his name spoken in vain since Elton Brand was signed to a megadeal in 2003. Even a blind dog finds a bone now and then. The Clippers did a poor job of surrounding Brand with the right talent, and they went 23-59 (33-49 ATS) last year with Brand missing most of the season due to injury.
The Clippers are completely remodeled for 2008. Brand escaped to Philadelphia as a free agent; Baron Davis and Marcus Camby are in town. So is Zach Randolph, the first trade for Mike Dunleavy since he took over GM duties from the retiring Elgin Baylor. This is an intriguing trade for the Clips. Randolph (22.9 points, 13.5 rebounds per 40 minutes) replaces much of what Brand contributed on offense, while his considerable defensive liabilities are covered by Camby and, to a lesser extent, Chris Kaman.
It’s working so far: L.A. is 1-1 SU and 2-0 ATS since Randolph arrived from New York. This is an emerging team that should overcome the betting odds, at least until the inevitable injuries pile up. Kaman is currently out 1-2 weeks with a strained left arch.
Oklahoma City Thunder (2-16 SU, 9-9 ATS)
The uprooting of the former Seattle SuperSonics was a costly and damaging process on nearly all fronts. The Thunder landed in the Sooner State with very little established talent, relying on the raw trio of Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook. This, for all intents and purposes, is an expansion team.
Which means that things are necessarily looking up. Oklahoma City gave coach P.J. Carlesimo and assistant Paul Westhead the heave-ho on Nov. 22; the team is 1-3 SU and 3-1 ATS under interim coach Scott Brooks, a former point guard who won a ring with Houston in 1994. Brooks gave Westbrook his first start in Saturday’s 111-103 victory at Memphis (-7½). He also started Chris Wilcox at center, showing a willingness to experiment with his rotation.
The Thunder already had low expectations coming into the season, and those expectations won’t be getting any lower – the win over the Grizzlies snapped a franchise-record 14-game losing streak. This is a value pick as long as Brooks and respected GM Sam Presti (a former disciple of R.C. Buford in San Antonio) continue to do things the right way.
Washington Wizards (2-12 SU, 4-10 ATS)
The Wizards have also changed coaches, but the decision to fire Eddie Jordan hasn’t done much to inspire faith in Washington’s front office. Neither did the large six-year contract doled out to Gilbert Arenas, who has yet to play a game this season after yet another surgical procedure on his knee. The Wiz are just 1-3 SU and ATS since Ed Tapscott (also Washington’s director of player development) took over behind the bench.
Washington played well minus Arenas last year, but that was before Roger Mason Jr. signed with the Spurs. Antonio Daniels (9.26 PER) has had an awful season trying to play through an injured knee; though he’s starting to round into form, the Wiz still have a glaring hole at center where Brendan Haywood (wrist) once stood. Etan Thomas (10.43 PER) has been reduced to spot duty, leaving JaVale McGee (19.2 minutes per game) as the starting center and an assortment of ineffective power forwards mopping up the remaining minutes.
Are they just snake-bitten with bad luck and injuries, or is it simply some poor decisions by management up in the front office? In the cases of the Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma Thunder and Washington Wizards, perhaps it is a little of each. That trio of NBA franchises is off to a combined 7-31 so far this season with up seemingly the only direction they can travel at this point...or is it?
Give me your tired veterans, your poor coaches, your huddled masses yearning to be faded.
All apologies to Emma Lazarus, but her poem “The New Colussus” (which is famously inscribed on a plaque at the Statue of Liberty) is an easy target when talking about the worst teams in the NBA – the wretched refuse of David Stern’s teeming shore. The Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Washington Wizards have a combined record of 7-41 SU and 18-30 ATS. All three franchises have gone through years of front-office turmoil, but each took a different path to get to this low point.
Los Angeles Clippers (3-13 SU, 5-11 ATS)
Donald Sterling, former notorious tightwad owner extraordinaire, has rarely heard his name spoken in vain since Elton Brand was signed to a megadeal in 2003. Even a blind dog finds a bone now and then. The Clippers did a poor job of surrounding Brand with the right talent, and they went 23-59 (33-49 ATS) last year with Brand missing most of the season due to injury.
The Clippers are completely remodeled for 2008. Brand escaped to Philadelphia as a free agent; Baron Davis and Marcus Camby are in town. So is Zach Randolph, the first trade for Mike Dunleavy since he took over GM duties from the retiring Elgin Baylor. This is an intriguing trade for the Clips. Randolph (22.9 points, 13.5 rebounds per 40 minutes) replaces much of what Brand contributed on offense, while his considerable defensive liabilities are covered by Camby and, to a lesser extent, Chris Kaman.
It’s working so far: L.A. is 1-1 SU and 2-0 ATS since Randolph arrived from New York. This is an emerging team that should overcome the betting odds, at least until the inevitable injuries pile up. Kaman is currently out 1-2 weeks with a strained left arch.
Oklahoma City Thunder (2-16 SU, 9-9 ATS)
The uprooting of the former Seattle SuperSonics was a costly and damaging process on nearly all fronts. The Thunder landed in the Sooner State with very little established talent, relying on the raw trio of Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook. This, for all intents and purposes, is an expansion team.
Which means that things are necessarily looking up. Oklahoma City gave coach P.J. Carlesimo and assistant Paul Westhead the heave-ho on Nov. 22; the team is 1-3 SU and 3-1 ATS under interim coach Scott Brooks, a former point guard who won a ring with Houston in 1994. Brooks gave Westbrook his first start in Saturday’s 111-103 victory at Memphis (-7½). He also started Chris Wilcox at center, showing a willingness to experiment with his rotation.
The Thunder already had low expectations coming into the season, and those expectations won’t be getting any lower – the win over the Grizzlies snapped a franchise-record 14-game losing streak. This is a value pick as long as Brooks and respected GM Sam Presti (a former disciple of R.C. Buford in San Antonio) continue to do things the right way.
Washington Wizards (2-12 SU, 4-10 ATS)
The Wizards have also changed coaches, but the decision to fire Eddie Jordan hasn’t done much to inspire faith in Washington’s front office. Neither did the large six-year contract doled out to Gilbert Arenas, who has yet to play a game this season after yet another surgical procedure on his knee. The Wiz are just 1-3 SU and ATS since Ed Tapscott (also Washington’s director of player development) took over behind the bench.
Washington played well minus Arenas last year, but that was before Roger Mason Jr. signed with the Spurs. Antonio Daniels (9.26 PER) has had an awful season trying to play through an injured knee; though he’s starting to round into form, the Wiz still have a glaring hole at center where Brendan Haywood (wrist) once stood. Etan Thomas (10.43 PER) has been reduced to spot duty, leaving JaVale McGee (19.2 minutes per game) as the starting center and an assortment of ineffective power forwards mopping up the remaining minutes.