In my last thread I wasn't using units on my picks and realized it was causing confusion amongst what I considered my top plays, so I'm just going to make a new thread and start using units. I thought it would be cleaner in a new thread.
In my previous thread my record was 25-12-1 (67.5%).
My plays will be rated from 1 to 5 units.
Official Play:
*** Chicago Bulls -2 / 3 UNITS ***
Taj Gibson didn't play today, but traveled with the team and said that he planned to play vs Washington. While he may not, the possibility that he will makes this play a little better looking than it already is.
For the Wizards, John Wall and Yi are definitely out. Rashard Lewis is expected to make his debut for Washington and play 20-30 minutes. Lewis will send Al Thornton back to the bench, but the truth is Thornton is probably as good, if not better at this point in the season, than Lewis.
Chicago is coming off of a giant win over Philadelphia and their players should be rested in this back-to-back having rested most of the starters in the 4th quarter.
Chicago is 8-4 ATS in road games this season and 10-6 ATS against poor defensive teams (99 PPG +).
Washington is coming off of a big win two days ago against Charlotte, who did not have Gerald Wallace and an injured Stephen Jackson, who scored only 13 points on 5-12 shooting.
The Wizards seem to be getting credit here because they are coming off of a big win and are 7-6 at home, while Chicago is only 6-6 on the road, but we have to remember that Chicago has been making lineup changes and injury substitutions all season. Only recently have the Bulls gotten their team together.
The Bulls come into this game having won 8 of their last 9 games, their only loss coming by 1 points against the Clippers. In that game Blake Griffin dominated the Bulls without Noah inside and Gibson getting injured early.
Washington relies on jump shooters like Nick Young, Al Thornton, Kirk Hinrich and the new addition Rashard Lewis to score their points. The Wizards big man Andray Blatche does not actually stay in the paint as often as you would think and shoots only 43% from the field. He is only averaging 7 rebounds per game despite being a 6-11 center because he is more comfortable away from the basket. To me this presents a good match up for Carlos Boozer, who is not a terrific post defender, but should be fine handling a player with the game that Blatche has.
Washington is going to have to adapt in this game to the style of Rashard Lewis and continue to evolve without Gilbert Arenas as their top scoring option. Nick Young will likely take this place and I like the Bulls options to defend him with Ronnie Brewer and Keith Bogans.
In the first game between these two teams this season, Chicago won by 7 points, but Arenas put up 30 points and Wall put up 16, combining for 46 points. I don't see Josh Howard and Lewis making up 46 points and having Boozer in this game and Chicago seemingly rolling now, I don't see a potential drop off in this situation.
Chicago wants to go into their Christmas game with New York on a win and I don't think Washington is a team in the position to upset them in Rashard Lewis' first game with the team.
In my previous thread my record was 25-12-1 (67.5%).
My plays will be rated from 1 to 5 units.
Official Play:
*** Chicago Bulls -2 / 3 UNITS ***
Taj Gibson didn't play today, but traveled with the team and said that he planned to play vs Washington. While he may not, the possibility that he will makes this play a little better looking than it already is.
For the Wizards, John Wall and Yi are definitely out. Rashard Lewis is expected to make his debut for Washington and play 20-30 minutes. Lewis will send Al Thornton back to the bench, but the truth is Thornton is probably as good, if not better at this point in the season, than Lewis.
Chicago is coming off of a giant win over Philadelphia and their players should be rested in this back-to-back having rested most of the starters in the 4th quarter.
Chicago is 8-4 ATS in road games this season and 10-6 ATS against poor defensive teams (99 PPG +).
Washington is coming off of a big win two days ago against Charlotte, who did not have Gerald Wallace and an injured Stephen Jackson, who scored only 13 points on 5-12 shooting.
The Wizards seem to be getting credit here because they are coming off of a big win and are 7-6 at home, while Chicago is only 6-6 on the road, but we have to remember that Chicago has been making lineup changes and injury substitutions all season. Only recently have the Bulls gotten their team together.
The Bulls come into this game having won 8 of their last 9 games, their only loss coming by 1 points against the Clippers. In that game Blake Griffin dominated the Bulls without Noah inside and Gibson getting injured early.
Washington relies on jump shooters like Nick Young, Al Thornton, Kirk Hinrich and the new addition Rashard Lewis to score their points. The Wizards big man Andray Blatche does not actually stay in the paint as often as you would think and shoots only 43% from the field. He is only averaging 7 rebounds per game despite being a 6-11 center because he is more comfortable away from the basket. To me this presents a good match up for Carlos Boozer, who is not a terrific post defender, but should be fine handling a player with the game that Blatche has.
Washington is going to have to adapt in this game to the style of Rashard Lewis and continue to evolve without Gilbert Arenas as their top scoring option. Nick Young will likely take this place and I like the Bulls options to defend him with Ronnie Brewer and Keith Bogans.
In the first game between these two teams this season, Chicago won by 7 points, but Arenas put up 30 points and Wall put up 16, combining for 46 points. I don't see Josh Howard and Lewis making up 46 points and having Boozer in this game and Chicago seemingly rolling now, I don't see a potential drop off in this situation.
Chicago wants to go into their Christmas game with New York on a win and I don't think Washington is a team in the position to upset them in Rashard Lewis' first game with the team.
