[Mac4Lyfe]

Yeah, it's the Cavs. They don't have Lebron. They still have Kevin Love... BUT this team could be special.

They have three 7 footers that can get up and down the court. Lauri Markkanen, Jarrett Allen, and rookie sensation Evan Mobley. These guys can defend the damn paint. Teams are struggling getting any shots in the paint against them. I really haven't seen this type of defense in quite some time. These guys can guard any positions which is nice. Plus they have the young bull Colin Sexton, who can flat out go. I think they might reel off a few wins until teams figure out how to score against them. I'm going to start riding them and taking unders as well.

Anyway, I just took a futures bet on the Cavs winning the division, with the Bulls and Bucks no mind you. And I also took them to win the Finals. Yes, long stretch but if they make a run, I can start hedging. 125 to 1 and 200 to 1, seems a bit high for this team that is flying way under the radar right now.


NBA - 2021-2022 NBA Divisions - Central Division - Odds to win Central Division - Cleveland Cavaliers 12500

NBA - 2021-2022 NBA Championship - Odds to win NBA Championship - Cleveland Cavaliers 20000

[shadymcgrady]

Playoffs would've been a better bet Mac.

Sexton is a black hole, his teammates don't even like playing with him. Markannen couldn't stop a nose bleed on defense or get a rebound. He's a 7 foot shooter and a streak one at that.

Mobley is good, okoro and garland could be good. Everyone else is a solid role player

[Darkside Magick]

Playoffs would've been a better bet Mac.

Sexton is a black hole, his teammates don't even like playing with him. Markannen couldn't stop a nose bleed on defense or get a rebound. He's a 7 foot shooter and a streak one at that.

Mobley is good, okoro and garland could be good. Everyone else is a solid role player

They looking to move Sexton once the right deal come along.... Love will get traded to Nuggets... Okoro will. Be better once sexton gone... Garland is wait and see

[MinnesotaFats]

I like it

NBA doesn't play small anymore.

Bucks biggest team in league, need size to get past em. Cavs have size!

[Crusherrr]

I love the NBA this year so far. So glad the fouls where you lean in to defender and even the ones you just stop dribbling and get run over by a big on a fast break are over with. These refs are letting players play defense. No more 240 O/U's and endless free throws. It's great.

The Knicks are going to have another solid year, too. So I'm loving it.

[Mac4Lyfe]

Playoffs would've been a better bet Mac.

Sexton is a black hole, his teammates don't even like playing with him. Markannen couldn't stop a nose bleed on defense or get a rebound. He's a 7 foot shooter and a streak one at that.

Mobley is good, okoro and garland could be good. Everyone else is a solid role player

I can start hedging if they make the playoffs. My books also didn't offer a make the playoffs futures.

What's weird is that Heritage has Cleveland at +8000 to win the Eastern Conference but has them at +12500 to win the Central Division. I guess they think it's a higher chance that the Bucks or Bulls can have a better record in season but maybe the Cavs can pull off upsets in the playoffs? I'll roll the dice on them winning the division. If it's close near the end of the season, I can hedge as well.

I've heard the rumors that teammates don't like Sexton. That is very far from the truth. I have first hand knowlege these guys love playing with him. Him and Love are the 2 leaders on the team. Markannen hopefully can morph his game like Love offensively, defensively he is buying into defending the paint. Mobley is a future superstar. This guy may end up being the steal of the draft. I've seen enough in 5 games to tell me that he is a game changer. The Cavs finally got a steal in the draft. Ricky Rubio is another high IQ guy that will help these young guys.

The next few games will tell us a lot about the Cavs, especially this early West Coast trip. If they get on a run, they could be special. If they lose like dogs then it could be a long season. I see something with their defense. You just don't see that in the NBA these days. They look like a shut down football defensive team. Teams aren't prepared to play a team that can shut you down from getting shots in the paint. Unless you can shoot a high percentage from 3, you are going to have a hard time scoring against them. Now, maybe teams eventually figure them out but I don't think so. These guys are long and can switch the PnR. Good luck with that.

[Mac4Lyfe]

I love the NBA this year so far. So glad the fouls where you lean in to defender and even the ones you just stop dribbling and get run over by a big on a fast break are over with. These refs are letting players play defense. No more 240 O/U's and endless free throws. It's great.

The Knicks are going to have another solid year, too. So I'm loving it.

I do too. It's reverting back to old school basketball. That plays in very well with the Knicks. I looked at futures for them as well but the odds aren't nearly as attractive.

[shadymcgrady]

The best overall defender is arguably okoro and no one talks about him. Mobley has some promise but sexton is a Lou Williams masquerading as a point guard

[Darkside Magick]

Lmaooooooo... Nba Basketball is about Superstars.. There is not one guy on the Cavs who can get you a bucket when you need need it... Guys just throwing money away...

[Mac4Lyfe]

They looking to move Sexton once the right deal come along.... Love will get traded to Nuggets... Okoro will. Be better once sexton gone... Garland is wait and see

The right deal anyone can be moved but right now the Cavs are not looking to move Sexton. The bigger question is if Garland is the PG of the future. He could potentially be moved but he's really learning on the job with Rubio helping him. Altman has done an excellent job with the roster. I wasn't real high on him but he's good. I also think Bickerstaff is going to be a good coach. That could be the one deficiency but so far he's instilling a hard nose, defensive mindset, which I like.

Through four games the Cavs lead the league in assist percentage with 68.5% of their made field goals coming off an assist.

Rubio and Garland have combined to average 42.5 points per game off their assists alone. (23, 19.5 respectively) pic.twitter.com/g18nRdo2wW

— ������ ���������� �������� �������������� (@ChaseDownPod) October 26, 2021

[Mac4Lyfe]

The best overall defender is arguably okoro and no one talks about him. Mobley has some promise but sexton is a Lou Williams masquerading as a point guard

Yes, Okoro is the lock down defender that can guard a Paul George but he's banged up a bit. But Mobley is the game changer. That guy can guard anyone. He is crazy good in the paint and gives guards fits trying to put up a shot. He is so long and quick, you cannot score on that guy. Once he develops an offense like hopefully Durant, good grief, he is going to be a beast.

Not sure why you're so down on Sexton. That guy gives 120% effort. He was sandbagged on this team the last couple of years but has shown plenty of upside. I think now he's getting the proper coaching and is surrounded by better players. The kid has heart.

[Mac4Lyfe]

Lmaooooooo... Nba Basketball is about Superstars.. There is not one guy on the Cavs who can get you a bucket when you need need it... Guys just throwing money away...

That's why it's gambling. Don't make a bet where you're not able to throw money away. I could easily say that the Bucks don't have a real guy that can get you a bucket when you need it as well but they won a championship.

The Cavs are a young team. They will make young team mistakes and go through some low spots. But if they catch a heater and gain confidence, they have the pieces to be a top East conference team. Maybe not top 1, 2 or 3 but maybe 4th or 5th and these odds don't reflect that.

[Darkside Magick]

That's why it's gambling. Don't make a bet where you're not able to throw money away. I could easily say that the Bucks don't have a real guy that can get you a bucket when you need it as well but they won a championship.

The Cavs are a young team. They will make young team mistakes and go through some low spots. But if they catch a heater and gain confidence, they have the pieces to be a top East conference team. Maybe not top 1, 2 or 3 but maybe 4th or 5th and these odds don't reflect that.

Mac stop it... Bucks got 3 guys that can get you a bucket... Giannis.. Middleton and Jrue

[Mac4Lyfe]

Mac stop it... Bucks got 3 guys that can get you a bucket... Giannis.. Middleton and Jrue

Giannis was/is one of the worst in clutch time players... Middleton is getting better but still not considered someone you want with the ball at the end of a game. Holiday has been there best option but they still ranked 28th, which was the same as the Cavs last year. Good thing for them they didn't have to face too many crunch time moments.


https://www.thescore.com/nba/news/2163321
This should be a fearsome three-pronged attack. So why do the Bucks have a 105.7 offensive rating (about equivalent to that of the 28th-ranked Cavaliers) with all three of them on the floor in fourth quarters?

[Darkside Magick]

Mac all Daryl Morey with the analytics

[Mac4Lyfe]

Mac all Daryl Morey with the analytics

The only thing I can back up my assertion is stats/facts...

[unde0087]

Lmaooooooo... Nba Basketball is about Superstars.. There is not one guy on the Cavs who can get you a bucket when you need need it... Guys just throwing money away...

[Mac4Lyfe]

Wouldn't be the first or last time I throw money away. Gambling is all about calling your shot. Don't be scared.

[Darkside Magick]

Wouldn't be the first or last time I throw money away. Gambling is all about calling your shot. Don't be scared.

Could have took that money to JACK Casino and played blackjack or Wonder Woman slots

[Mac4Lyfe]

Could have took that money to JACK Casino and played blackjack or Wonder Woman slots

I have a very wealthy friend in LA. He had a Chinese guy come into his office one afternoon pitching a crazy idea. He gave that man $1.5 million dollars and didn't even have an address on the guy. 3 years later that same guy walked into his office and gave him a check for $5 million.

A friend of mine introduced me to a guy who immediately asked me for $20k to help save his failing car wash in Tampa Fla. Anytime I give someone money, I always consider it a gift. Well, I've never seen or heard from that guy since. You win some you lose some. I have very few worries in life. Money ain't one of them. I've won and lost $20k blackjack hands.

[Darkside Magick]

Angel investor

[d2bets]

Interesting idea, but I just found the same bets at MUCH higher odds.

[d2bets]

Just found them +2000 to make the playoffs. Think I'd prefer that to any of the others. If they do make the playoffs I would think they'd easily be more than 10-1 to win at all from there from the field of 16.

[ezesports]

Mac, I take it you're from Cleveland?

[JMUplayer]

When is the last time Rubio played a meaningful game? He’s the Uptons of mlb

[TheMetsSuck]

Biggest waste of money I’ve seen on this site. I just flushed a shit down the toilet thinking of your bets lol

[d2bets]

They're not going to win division or title, but they are better than expected and might be able to squeak into play-in and then playoffs. Maybe. Probably not.

[lonegambler23]

light your money on fire. this is the nba not college random basketball

[d2bets]

light your money on fire. this is the nba not college random basketball

Huh? They have a better chance than some random crappy college team that has no chance.

I'm not saying Cleve wins the division or whatever, but when a team has a lot of new players, especially young, you never quite know what might happen. I think this year is going to be especially weird and I'm expecting a lot of parity. Don't expect 65 win or 15 win teams. Gonna be a lot of teams bunched up in the 35-45 win range.

[jjgold]

They look pretty good lotta teams are more balanced this year

[lakerboy]

Wouldn't be the first or last time I throw money away. Gambling is all about calling your shot. Don't be scared.

I agree with this but the Cavs are not winning either of the two bets you made.

They have gotten off to a nice start. I have them at 37 wins tops.

[Mac4Lyfe]

Just found them +2000 to make the playoffs. Think I'd prefer that to any of the others. If they do make the playoffs I would think they'd easily be more than 10-1 to win at all from there from the field of 16.

+2000 to make the playoffs is a great bet. What book?

But +20000 to win it all is pretty much the same bet as well. I'm not sure they'd be 10-1 from that point. I should be able to start hedging once they make the playoffs.

I think we might see a lot of parody as well. The teams in the Central could beat up on each other and make it a close race. If they could just stay close into the last few weeks, there'll be some good hedging opportunities there as well.

[Mac4Lyfe]

I agree with this but the Cavs are not winning either of the two bets you made. They have gotten off to a nice start. I have them at 37 wins tops.

I'd love for them to win the division but I can accept them being just good enough to hedge. These next few games will tell me if they are around 35 or over 50. Is their paint defense a mirage or is it the real thing???

Mac, I take it you're from Cleveland?

Of course I am. I follow them closer than any other NBA team. I'm a homer, no doubt but I'm also a realist. If they sucked, I'll tell you they suck. They might suck, no one really knows at this point. I see some things so far that are pretty exciting, especially their defense.


Stat #1: Evan Mobley is holding opponents to 47 percent shooting at the rim
For context, last season Rudy Gobert led the league at 48% (among high-volume players).

Stat #2: The Cavs lead the league in fewest free throws against
Opponents of the Cleveland Cavaliers have taken just 14 free throws per game, which leads the NBA through the first seven days of the season. That’s a trend that could continue to some extent. J.B. Bickerstaff coaches a conservative defense that tries to avoid fouling, and last year they ranked seventh in the league with 20.4 attempts per game.

Stat #3: The Cavaliers are shooting 79.2 percent from inside three feet
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been monsters inside this season, ranking top-5 in dunks (Jarrett Allen is first in the league) and sitting second in terms of field goal percentage at the rim. Some of those made baskets have been self-created, but the Cavs have done an excellent job of setting each other up for lobs and passes on the roll.

What is even more impressive is that last year the Cavs ranked dead last in this number, hitting just 62.6 percent of their shots at the rim. The emphasis on getting into the defense and then finding the open big man has been clear on film, and the numbers back it up. The most efficient shots in basketball are at the rim, and the Cavs have been taking full advantage.


and they are winning games while Markkanen is struggling shooting the rock. If he can get hot from outside, that's just one more piece to the offense.

[d2bets]

+2000 to make the playoffs is a great bet. What book?

But +20000 to win it all is pretty much the same bet as well. I'm not sure they'd be 10-1 from that point. I should be able to start hedging once they make the playoffs.

I think we might see a lot of parody as well. The teams in the Central could beat up on each other and make it a close race. If they could just stay close into the last few weeks, there'll be some good hedging opportunities there as well.

Draftkings.

And yes, come on, they'd be WAY more than 10-1 to win it all at the start of the playoffs. It's a 16-team field, and let's be honest, if they make it it's probably as a squeak in on a play-in. The big boys will be heavily favored and it won't them. Only the top 3 or 4 teams, tops, in the NBA would have odds less than 10-1. They'd have to win 4 series and they'd probably be underdogs, probably severe ones, in each. To be 10-1, they'd have to be favored to win most of the series. You can't believe that. It would be more like 50-1, and even that might be low. Go take a look at what a typical 7 or 8 seed is to win the title at the start of a playoffs. So I see zero value in 200-1 champ (should be 1,000-1, which is what draftkings has). Harder to evaluate the division wager, but I seriously doubt it. Need Giannis and Lavine to go down for the year, or something like that.

You may be right that Cleveland is better than most think, but you're way overstating some of these odds.

IF they make the playoffs, you might be able to squeak out a little profit hedging the 200-1, but it won't have been worth the risk of losing the wager in the first place by missing the playoffs (which is quite likely).

But who am I to judge a homer? I bet the Bulls 100-1 to win the title. Actually, I think that was a damn good deal, I can't find better than 50-1 now. My theory was that with so many new players, we just don't know how good they might be. Still don't, but it seems they might be pretty good. DeRozan, Ball and Caruso were damn fine additions.

[edawg]

The only good thing about Mac is he is down for the land!