Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Nuggets

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The Miami Heat were looking for some revenge against this Denver Nuggets team, but as Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro were ruled out close to game-time, it seemed less likely.

So, here are five takeaways from this Heat loss to Denver…

#1: Kyle Lowry only first half starter to provide a consistent personal strength early.

In a game without Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro, all eyes are at the guys at the top of the roster. It’s not just about those guys plugging the holes of the guys missing, but them just bringing their elite skill out the gate. Kyle Lowry was the only guy who truly provided that among that group. Bam Adebayo’s shot attempts and scoring looking to skyrocket, but that didn’t seem to pop out through the initial 24 minutes of play. So many things can be addressed about that topic, but he just doesn’t look like his fully healthy self at the moment. Duncan Robinson needed to explode from beyond the arc, but the exact opposite seems to occur. Aside from Caleb Martin’s plug and play excellence, Lowry was the only one among the top 3 to sustain his biggest skill: passing. Five first quarter assists can tell part of the story, but he just looked like an energized version of himself in this one, which was absolutely needed.

#2: Miami’s defensive fun against Chicago to defensive struggles against Denver.

Miami had some fun on Saturday night against the Chicago Bulls. No Tyler Herro meant more Gabe Vincent, ultimately meaning more 2-2-1 press and 2-3 zone. In a similar rotational setting tonight, those defensive principles could not be carried over. The reasoning is that you just cannot survive in a zone defense against Nikola Jokic, and that’s for a multitude of reasons. The main one is that a 2-3 zone calls for the big to flash to the free throw line extended, which is when Jokic is at his best. Scoring options, play-making excellence, etc. So, as Miami stayed in man for long stretches, Jokic had some more fun by attacking the Heat’s small lineups, which came up a lot in an eight man rotation. And well, no Jimmy Butler clearly dips your defensive plan.

#3: Heat’s short-handed bench only source of production.

The Heat’s first half didn’t equate to many positive takeaways, but the one semi-positive thing to note was the team’s bench production. The reason I say it’s “semi-positive” is due to the chances of winning a tough game without two of your best players, while the two bench pieces are the biggest stand-outs. But yet, they were. As Bam Adebayo’s odd struggles continue, Dewayne Dedmon was inserted and he was ready. Snatching rebounds, scoring around the rim, and obtaining more touches than many of those around him. Max Strus also came out firing, starting the game 3 for 4 from three, giving Miami some life through the muddy issues. Leading scorers at the half being Dedmon and Strus just says more about the top dogs tonight than it does about themselves.

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#4: Duncan Robinson’s shooting continues. But now, we’re past the 20 game mark.

I’ve spent many of these post-game takeaway pieces discussing the shooting of Duncan Robinson, which has been in a completely different sense compared to last season. Simply, the positional stuff, the sets he finds himself in, and the semi-shifting role must be thrown out the window at this exact moment. It’s just about…making ‘open’ three-pointers. I don’t think Robinson has found himself this wide open in the corner like he has so often this season. But it just feels like he can’t shake the mental side of this contract and new-look year. In no way is that an excuse for poor play, but it’s just the truth. He didn’t forget how to shoot and the differentiating spots aren’t *that* dramatic. It’s just about overcoming the hardest part of the game as a shooter, which now past the 20 game mark, is speeding up that ticking clock.

#5: Miami still awaiting the 4 quarter Bam Adebayo offensive focus.

There have been many points in the season this year where Bam Adebayo comes out super strong, but as the game grows closer in the fourth, that same guy isn’t there. Well, the opposite seemed to have struck in this one, as opinions were flying across social media about Adebayo’s underwhelming start. In my opinion, he definitely doesn’t look 100% as I said earlier, but if he’s out there, he needs to play up to a certain standard. That standard was finally held as he scored 15 points in the third on 10 shot attempts, ultimately showing that he’s capable of being that aggressive placeholder. The issue is that although that’s all great, the inability to display it for two full halves puts Miami in such an awkward and difficult spot by the end of it. He had decent moments when already down, but they need a tone setter in games like this.

 

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Three Takeaways from Giants-Buccaneers, before Giants play Dolphins

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Many newcomers are curious about how to bet on football now that the NFL season has started. Football bettors enjoy the pace of the NFL because teams play only once a week. To place a bet on your favorite team, however, you must know the performance of that team in previous games and have a good understanding of the best betting sites based on the sportsbook. This is where Bet-NY comes in. You will also find an in-depth NYRA Bets review on bet-ny.com. Let’s check out the key takeaways from the Giants vs. Buccaneers’ previous match that can help you make a winning bet on the next matchup.

 

The Offense Begun and Ended with a Clinic

 

The first drives of the Buccaneers’ first drives were pass, pass, wide receiver rush, wide receiver rush, pass, pass, pass, touchdown. It was just under four minutes into the game when Tom Brady completed five of five passes, with every play being successful, and the Buccaneers led 7-0 over their opponents. The Bucs were able to gain 73 yards on the drive thanks to four different receivers and six different skill players. The Giants couldn’t answer it since it was so clinical.

 

With a large lead in the fourth quarter, the offense would only punt three more times. Brady was removed from the game midway through the fourth quarter in favor of backup Blaine Gabbert after completing 30 of 46 attempts for 307 yards and two touchdowns against one interception. All team members were on the same page. A total of ten different receivers caught passes during Monday night’s game. In addition to Godwin and Fournette having six catches each, both of them caught all of the targets thrown their way.

 

There was never a time when the offense wasn’t in control in the second quarter, except for the tipped interception that put the Giants on the Bucs’ five-yard line. Their offensive output was nearly double that of New York, with 402 yards instead of the Giants’ 215 yards. They were able to complete their goal with about 10 more minutes of possession. This result was likely the result of Tampa Bay’s balanced approach, which included 94 yards rushing. Moreover, both wide receivers and Brady took turns in the rushing game, as we previously discussed. Despite his official stat sheet reporting 10 yards, he said he scrambled 11 yards in the second quarter. As a result, Brady got a first down and a burst of energy that he typically reserves for his morning warmup. Yet, this remained constant throughout the game. Brady led the Buccaneers to six third-down conversions on 11 attempts, for a 55 percent success rate. Thus, the defense got some respite and was able to play with much vigor the remainder of the night.

 

The Defense Followed Suit

 

The defense doesn’t give up in the face of challenges. The Giants reached the Buccaneers’ 19-yard line on their opening possession before settling for a field goal as Tampa Bay tightened its defense. Throughout the entire game, that was the closest they would come on their own. The Giants scored their only touchdown on their second possession after a Brady interception on the second play of the Bucs’ second possession. Fortunately, Adoreé Jackson was able to grab the tipped ball and return it to the Tampa Bay five-yard line. Despite being so close, a pass to the offensive tackle was required to score. Giant’s offense totaled 215 yards on the night, 149 passing yards, and 66 rushing yards. In his return from injury, running back Saquon Barkley gained just 25 yards on six attempts. No New York receiver gained more than 40 yards. There was only an average throw play of 3.6 yards for the Giants. One of their nine third-down attempts and one of their three fourth-down attempts were converted.

 

In the meantime, Vita Vea was not available for the Buccaneers on the interior. The team made up for it with Rakeem Nunez-Roches, who was also questionable before the game, and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, who played 50% of the defensive snaps, including some on the interior. The 35-year-old defensive tackle Steve McLendon also ended up with his first career interception after some extra work. In the end, Daniel Jones had two interceptions for the Buccaneers. Defensive back Mike Edwards, who had been a one-person wrecking squad for the entire evening, scored the second goal off a tipped ball by Devin White.

 

After everything appeared to be going wrong and they could not get off the field, the defense performed precisely as planned. Although the effort wasn’t flawless, head coach Bruce Arians said afterwards, which is what we’re capable of.

 

Playing on your terms Makes Mistakes Manageable

 

There will never be a perfect game, no matter how hard you try. In contrast, when you play complementary football, and on your terms, mistakes don’t matter as much. The Bucs still had six penalties in the game, the same amount as Washington, but the team recovered thanks to a good team effort. In addition, one of the pre-snap penalties was intentional, another had to do with Evans’ illegal substitution, and the lone offsides penalty came early in the game and was given to Jason Pierre-Paul. 

 

Since he’s playing against his old squad, it’s probably just him being excited to play against them. However, none of the penalties, pre-snap or not, were particularly damning. In most cases, the team was able to recover within the drive. Thus, more than a week after Tom Brady said the team rarely played on its terms, the team reversed course, only playing on its terms and at home, to snap a two-game losing streak.

 

Conclusion

 

The Buccaneers beat the Giants on Monday Night Football to improve to 7-3 on the season and snap a two-game losing streak at home. As outlined above, these were some of the most important takeaways from the Monday night match.

 

*****

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Top 8 Most Interesting Cricket Facts You Didn’t Know

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Cricket has one of the most significant followings of over 2 billion people worldwide and is considered an esteemed gentlemen’s sport.

 

Cricket is encouraged to youngsters in various countries around the globe. When selecting a cricket bat and ball for your children, it is vital to ensure that you get the right weight and size for them to handle easily. For this purpose, you can purchase kids’ cricket set at Kookaburra or other similar websites.

 

The history of cricket is filled with weird coincidences and outlandish occurrences. Let’s see some fascinating facts about the sport that most people have never even heard.

  • Origins of Cricket

The origins of cricket began as a plain children’s game that was played by kids in England throughout the 16th century. During Britain’s rule and colonization in other countries, it expanded the scope of the sport by introducing it in those countries.

  • The 2nd Most Beloved Sport

Cricket isn’t just simply a popular sport. It is actually the second most favored sport adored by over 2.5 billion individuals in around 180 countries, especially Australia, Britain, and South Asian Countries like India, Siri Lanka, and Pakistan. The first most enjoyed sport is Football or Soccer.

  • Length of a Cricket Pitch

A cricket pitch is always 22 yards long and 3.33 yards wide. In the long and vast history of the sport, this length of the cricket pitch has always remained the exact same, ever since the 18th century.

  • Similarities Between Asia Cup Matches of India and Pakistan

The coincidences between two separate matches between India and Pakistan, once in the Australia-Asia 1985-86 and once during the Asia Cup 2014, are incredibly bizarre. During Both matches:

  • At the start off, Pakistan chose to bowl first.
  • Indian opening batsman hit two consecutive sixes.
  • Three batsmen in the Indian team scored half-centuries.
  • The match ends in the final over of the game.
  • Pakistan wins the game with only one wicket left.

  • The First-Ever Cricket Match

The first cricket match is considered to have been played by two countries, the United States of America and Canada, in Bloomingdale Park in New York in the year 1844.

 

While the first-ever proper cricket World Cup was played by the men’s teams in 1975, West Indies won the World Cup while Australia placed second overall.

  • Taking Part in Cricket and Football World Cups

In the history of the sport of cricket, only two people have ever played in both the cricket and the football world cups. One was Vivian Richards, who played with Antigua in the football World Cup in the year 1974. He was included in the team of West Indies for the cricket World Cup in 1975 and 1979.

 

Yet the other person who played World Cups in both sports was a female Australian player named Ellyse Perry.

  • The Father of Cricket

The man acclaimed to turn cricket from a local sport into a modern worldwide phenomenon is William Gilbert Grace, also known as the father of cricket. In England, he had an incredible passion for the sport and played amateur cricket.

  • The Quickest Cricket Pitch Ever

The renowned cricketer Shoab Akhtar is credited with throwing the fastest cricket pitch in recorded history during the 2003 cricket World Cup. He earned his famous nickname, the “Rawalpindi Express” after clocking in at an insane speed of 100.23 mph while during a match with England.

A Look into the Miami Heat’s Start to the Season

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The Miami Heat are currently 13-7 to start the season, and it’s been throughout a period of their schedule that was known to be one of the hardest stretches of the season. 13 of the first 20 games have been on the road, and the theme of this Heat team so far this season, is that they’re undoubtedly much better at home.

There have been plenty of team trends that have declined or increased over this span in comparison to prior expectations, but the focus of this piece, as we address everything up to this point, will be surrounded more by schematics. And more specifically, individual players in that area.

So, let’s hop right into what has been seen to begin the year.

Tyler Herro’s mid-range carving, spot-up leap, and separation avenue

Starting an early season wrap up with this Heat team and not mentioning Tyler Herro out the gate would be a terrible way to start. Not because he’s the team’s headliner or best player, but because he’s shifted the outlook on him, plus provided some on-court additions to this offense that have been absolutely necessary.

For one, we’re talking about a guy that is averaging slightly over 21 points a game through this opening stretch of games, but sometimes that can be misconstrued. The reasoning is that many players can come out hot right out the gate then come back down to earth.

But the difference here is that the way he’s doing it is 100% sustainable.

He has slowly mastered every spot of the floor, and what I mean by that is nothing is one-dimensional.

For starters, his mid-range game is by far his biggest strength on the basketball court, just due to the combination of difficult shot-making and improved ways of getting to his spots.

So much talk about if he could change his shot creation in a way where more separation can be created, and he’s done that by adding muscle to his legs in particular, allowing him to rise over the top of any defender in an unblockable fashion.

Three-point shooting has been an issue with this group from a team sense, but Herro has risen in that category as well. After shooting under 40% on catch and shoot threes last season, that has now shot up to 43% at the moment.

Obviously spot-up shooting shifts things for him and this team, but his demanding presence on the ball has made him an even bigger off the dribble three-point threat.

He has put in the work, and it’s paying off on the floor. Drop coverage was always a sign that a big Herro game could be in play, but he’s found ways to make switching defenses pay just as often.

And that’s the true tell between a young player who got hot early in a season, and a young player in the middle of that leap.

Mid-post killers: Jimmy Butler finds his home base, Bam Adebayo still searching for his

The only time we’ve been able to bundle up Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo in the same conversation in recent years has been on the defensive end. Both can take over on the end of the floor, and have similar reactions to passing lanes, rotations, and pure perimeter hounding.

But to begin the season, another common thread has been found among these two: offensive positioning.

The Heat have skyrocketed in their post-play, and it’s not the Pat Riley coaching days “post-play” that I’m talking about. Miami occupies that mid-post right inside the wing on almost every possession as a way to get everybody into their spots.

Markieff Morris has found himself there, Kyle Lowry has found his way there once or twice, among others. But clearly, Butler and Adebayo are the sticking points of that section.

Butler has taken off in this new “role,” which hasn’t included much changing. The only offensive shift for him in this spot is less of an urge to play-make, consequently elevating his play to another level immediately.

There’s a reason Butler is top 5 in the MVP race at this time, and it has a lot to do with the spread out floor for him to play in isolation, get to the rim, get to the free throw line, and well, knock down that mid-range jumper that’s been falling all season so far.

For Butler, that is his home-base.

Adebayo, on the other hand, has caused many discussions about his offensive role with this new team, and I think that speaks volume. When in that mid-post spot, should it be more inside post-play scores? Should he face-up into that jumper? Should he rely on play-making for others?

In many ways, the simplification for him hasn’t been as seamless as that for Herro in his bench role.

For what it’s worth, Adebayo has had a great start to the season numbers wise, and continues to be that defensive glue for Miami’s top 4 defensive rating. But as we know, there’s still much more to untap with him.

With all of that said, Adebayo must find his home-base in that mid-post. In my personal opinion, he looks most comfortable in that face-up game where he can pick his spots and utilize his biggest offensive strength against bigger defenders: his speed.

Both of Miami’s top dogs are mid-post killers, but only one of them has totally felt right at home. It’s coming for Adebayo, since not everything just works out perfectly through 20 games of basketball in this league.

Kyle Lowry and Duncan Robinson simply awaiting for 3’s to fall, but could new perimeter spotting be on the way?

The shooting of Duncan Robinson has probably been the biggest worry among Heat observers to begin the season, and Kyle Lowry is right behind him. The team has transformed into a fully three-point shooting team to a group that has a “good shooting night” when they shoot above 30% from beyond the arc.

Herro’s kept them afloat. PJ Tucker’s kept them afloat. But Robinson and Lowry have been the anchored forces to them being a middle of the pack 3 point shooting team.

So much has been discussed about this specific topic, but now that we’re 20 games in, some slight changes in exact offensive positioning should be on the way. Lowry and Robinson each shot 42% on catch and shoot threes last season, which is now at 29% and 32% respectively.

Yes, things will come back to normal sooner or later, which has already come into fruition in the 20th game in Chicago, but in the meantime, weak-side operation can’t continually be the answer. Through a quarter of the season, it’s been a ton of Robinson awaiting the ball to fall into his lap, which has not been him at any point of his NBA career.

He needs to seek that ball out, receive more high pick and roll reps which transformed his shooting last season, and continually make that pocket pass as defenders continue to double out at him no matter his shooting percentages.

Lowry, on the other hand, needs to get back to his usual ways. More transition pull-ups like his days in Toronto, more quick pulls after sliding across the pick at the top of the key, and more corner spotting.

Could it almost mean Robinson and Lowry switching roles at times?

Lowry in the corner should be used more down the stretch of games, which have been a struggle. The reasoning is that no defender is dipping far off Lowry on that baseline, and Robinson on the strong-side of plays have shown to be a cheat code over the years.

Up to this point, those two have almost been flipped in that type of usage.

Either way, it all comes down to making open shots. And if the team’s biggest problem through 20 games of basketball is Duncan Robinson and Kyle Lowry consistently making an open gym triple, then they’re sitting in a great spot.

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Defensively: soft switching worries, individual match-up dominance, and additional creative options

This has been pretty offensive centric so far in this piece, but with this Heat team, I don’t know if that’s very fair to initially project. The Heat are currently 4th in defensive rating so far this season, and as you scroll through your favorite social media app, you would probably think it was the exact opposite.

A main reason is that when it comes to defense, poor defensive possessions stick out more than good ones. So Robinson or Herro getting picked on in isolation may immediately jump off the screen, but their positioning on the weak-side on the play before isn’t mentioned once.

I bring this up because that’s been the case with the Heat’s soft switching so far. It’s 100% problematic many nights when the opposing team has talented perimeter players who can pick out mismatches, meaning Lowry, Robinson, or Herro is fighting for their hypothetical life down on the block against 7 foot monsters.

It’s also why they allow so many threes, since the soft switch basically gives ball-handlers a half-second to pull when a screen comes, or allows a screener to slip to cause mayhem defensively. And when teams capitalize like the Wizards did in Miami’s loss, it just plainly stands out.

There are solutions to anything that is thrown at you at the NBA level, but it’s why Spo has so many things up his sleeve. Guys like Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin have played their roles even better than originally expected, just due to the defensive strategy based around them.

A 2-2-1 press backed into a 2-3 zone has been the cure for fast offensive teams many nights. But what do you think gets discussed more, those adjustments or the soft switching?

Like I said before, they’re definitely going to have to tweak it slightly though, just because this is a team that won’t fully die-out on screens and can handle most individual match-ups. PJ Tucker can essentially guard 1 through 5, Butler’s playing some of the best weak-side defense of his career, and Adebayo is still up there for DPOY.

The point is that this team has been a major defensive force in this early span of games, and more flaws have been recognized than strengths. That’s the formula for a team with true elite defensive potential.

PJ Tucker’s short roll and corner worries shifting the offense

Herro has exceeded expectations for sure, but not to the level that PJ Tucker has to kick off the season. Usually young players are the only ones that can truly shift a pre-season projection, but Tucker has taken that to another level.

We know who he is as a player. A major defensive threat, which as I said, can defend positions 1-5. He plays bigger than his 6 foot 5 height, mostly through rebounding by becoming one of the best box-out guys in the league. But with all that said, the reason the number on his deal was a bit slimmer than you’d expect is due to the offensive limitations.

But those have quickly vanished.

After shooting 32% on catch and shoot threes last season, it has spiked to 45% to begin the year.

As I stated earlier, he has essentially leveled off the poor shooting of Miami’s starting back-court, which was in no way an expectation coming in. The thing about that though is it’s not just about that high percentage or the number of attempts he’s putting up.

But it’s actually the pull he currently has on defenses. When you’re best players thrive off open lane drives, and isolation frequency rises, you need that corner defender to think twice before going for the tag. And that has been the case many plays up to this point.

He’s also making them pay in a totally off the wall position of the floor on the offensive end: a roll and float. Running hand-offs and setting screens is no surprise in his role with the way Coach Spoelstra describes him as one of the league’s best screeners, but it’s what comes next.

Two flash to Robinson, he hits Tucker in the pocket, and you worry about what comes next. Do you want a limited power forward running the 4 on 3 on the back-side? Well, now you do.

Tucker gets to the middle of the floor, rises with two feet off the floor, and flicks up a right handed floater. Bucket.

That’s become his staple, and it’s gotten Miami out of a bunch of sticky situations. A 36 year old veteran should not be adding to his bag in this way, but he truly has in this not-so-similar role around this stable group.

Exceeding expectations is one thing. But taking over games in more than just the rebounding column or defensive metrics is another.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Bulls

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The Miami Heat came away with a win against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night in an anticipated matchup. Even with Tyler Herro out, they got it done, mostly due to the two-ways of last season, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus.

So, here are five takeaways from this win…

#1: Miami’s defense setting the tone early on.

In the beginning of the second quarter, the Heat forced the Bulls’ 10th turnover of the game, which doesn’t even tell the full story. DeRozan shooting 2 for 5 and LaVine shooting 2 for 6 in the first half doesn’t tell the full story either. It was just about the discomfort the Bulls were in from possession to possession, and lineup to lineup. The zone popped up again, Miami placed PJ Tucker on DeRozan so that he’d land on Vucevic after the screen, and they were just hitting the passing lanes as a whole. When you’re without one of the best scorers on your team, in Tyler Herro, it’s expected that defense would be the way you dictate a game. And they did just that to start.

#2: Tyler Herro out, Max Strus in.

Tyler Herro was a late scratch, after Spoelstra mentioned before the game he was a bit “under the weather.” That ultimately meant Max Strus would step into that next open slot, even though it felt his name would be called even if Herro played. Either way, he came out firing. Literally. He may have been the team’s leading scorer at the half, but the more important stat was he attempted the most shots on the team in that span. With 9 shots, 5 were threes and 4 were twos, just showing how this game was being played overall. We saw a bunch of different combinations with Strus, but the ultimate takeaway is this: he should never be on the outside looking in with Markieff Morris out and Victor Oladipo still healing up. Ten man rotation should be the next call before benching one of you’re better three-point shooters on a team that struggles from beyond the arc.

#3: Kyle Lowry the scorer made an early appearance. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo the facilitators quickly followed.

As we talk about the way Miami was generating offense, early on more specifically, it was almost a total flip in terms of individual player roles. Kyle Lowry came right out in scoring mode, getting to the basket twice in the first minute for easy layups. His drives were definitely up in this one as well, which meant simple kicks were the outcome. But not in the way you’d expect. Swing, swing, and there’s Butler or Adebayo in that mid-post waiting for the ball. Butler then drives and kicks. Or for Adebayo’s sake, he unfortunately waits for the double to come instead of attacking the smaller defender, and hits the cutter. That formula led to the two of them racking up 7 first half assists, and it did wonders to maximize the bench guys specifically. Without that big chunk of usage from Herro, the reliance on base offense was crucial.

#4: Duncan Robinson getting the ball up, and shifting his spotting.

This wasn’t one of those breakout Duncan Robinson nights where he shoots the ball like he used to. But what he did do is step up in the shot attempt column when others were drifting. Without Herro, you can push past inefficiency into the mindset of just getting them up, which he did. Some started to fall, but something interesting that followed was his willingness to begin scoring on the inside. Lay-ups, back-cuts, mid-ranges. That’s not really Robinson, but it needs to be in the prolonged stretch of poor shooting. Of course we can continually talk about the hope of it returning to normal, but there must be that in-between time where you utilize a non-Herro game to try and get out of it. It may be in his head, but the overarching mindset has yet to waver.

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#5: Gabe Vincent continues to come up huge for Miami.

Speaking of guys on this roster on the outside looking in, that was Gabe Vincent’s role for most of the season. He was an intriguing defensive spark when needed, but that has finally flipped. It all came down to threes falling for him, and we’ve finally hit that moment in time. But is that the only difference? Actually, I don’t think so. Opinions can fly about the recent play of Kyle Lowry all you want, but the fact that Vincent can play next to Lowry at this stage is a major difference maker. Vincent’s playing with confidence, he’s not a one-dimensional offensive player at this exact time, cannot be taken advantage of on the defensive end unless he’s facing a much bigger ball-handler, and the shots are now falling. The back-end of the roster is doing their job, and now all eyes are on the top-end of this team.

 

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Dolphins

Goldie’s Best Bets, Week 12: Take the Streaking Dolphins

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Goldie:

All Time Record: 219-115-1          

Vs. Spread: 162-172-1

 

21-22 Season:  93-60-1               

Vs. Spread: 73-83-1

 

Week 11 Record : 8-6                 

Vs. Spread: 7-7

 

Guarantee All Time: 13-12       

 

Upset All Time: 12-12              

 

Crazy Uncle Jeff 

All Time: 30-10              

21-22 Season: 14-9       

Week 11: 1-2

 

Goldie’s Guarantee: MIN +3.5

Minnesota Vikings (5-5) @ San Francisco 49ers (5-5) 

Vegas Picks: SF -3.5

Goldie’s Take: Vikings Win 28-24

My favorite bet of the weekend is easily Vikings with the points. All of their games are close, evident by the fact that the Vikings haven’t lost a game this season by more than seven points. Plus given Minny’s offensive weapons I give them a very legitimate shot at an UPSET. Niners have won two straight by 20+, but you can’t expect Jimmy G to keep that pace. San Fran is set for a major letdown as Vikings go in and UPSET the 49ers on the road. 

 

Goldie’s UPSET of the Week

Carolina Panthers (5-6) @ Miami Dolphins (4-7)

Vegas Picks: CAR -2.5 

Goldie’s Take: Dolphins Win 24-23

After the abysmal 1-7 start, the Fins have picked it up a bit with three straight victories. Meanwhile, Carolina has really slipped since their strong 3-0 start. Their quarterback play got so bad, it forced them to recycle back to Cam Newton. A player who definitely brings energy to this team, but clearly isn’t the player he once was. Cam should have a very tough day against that blitz-heavy Dolphins defense. Miami completely shut down Lamar Jackson a few weeks ago, expect B Flo to implement a similar game plan to contain Newton in this one. Look for a defensive game, as Tua should be able to game-manage Miami to their fourth straight victory. UPSET!

 

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Crazy Uncle Jeff’s Lock of the Week: TB -3.5

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-3) @ Indianapolis Colts (6-5)

Vegas Picks: TB -3.5

Goldie’s Take: Buccaneers Win 32-28

Colts ground and pound identity with Johnathan Taylor has them winners of five out of their last six and right back in the mix of that AFC playoff picture. However, going up against and beating Tom Brady and the defending Super Bowl champions is a different story. With home field advantage and team momentum on their side, I do give Indy a decent upset shot, but I’ve bet against Brady too many times to make that mistake again. Plus the Crazy Uncle loves Tampa to win and cover in this one. Bucs get a tough win on the road. 

 

Rest of Week 12:

 

Tennessee Titans (8-3) @ New England Patriots (7-4)

Vegas Picks: NE -7

Goldie’s Take: Patriots Win 27-21

Red hot Pats enter this one boasting a five game winning streak, arguably the hottest team in the league. Meanwhile, Tennessee is coming off of an ugly loss to the 2-8 Houston Texans. The injuries are finally starting to catch up to the Titans, six players have already been ruled out (incluing AJ Brown) and an additional five are listed as questionable. Trust Tannehill and the defense to keep it close, but believe in Belichick and Pats to get the win in Foxboro. 

 

Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4-1) @ Cincinnati Bengals (6-4)

Vegas Picks: CIN -3.5

Goldie’s Take: Bengals Win 27-23

After a couple of questionable performances, Cincy confirmed their validity with a commanding win over the Raiders last week. However, Big Ben has historically owned the Bengals during his career. BUT this is a different Bengals and this is a different Big Ben. Joe Burrow to Jamar Chase is a combo that Bengals fans have been waiting for for a long time. Plus Cincy is at home. Bengals get a huge AFC North victory to keep them in solid positioning in that playoff push. 

 

Philadelphia Eagles (5-6) @ New York Giants (3-7)

Vegas Picks: PHI -3.5

Goldie’s Take: Eagles Win 27-20

Philly is beginning to find their groove as they’re winners of three of their last four. Jalen Hurts dual threat ability has been giving defenses nightmares all season, evident by the 618 rushing yards and 8 TDs he’s posted through eleven games. Also their defense has been holding strong as well, forcing three turnovers at the Saints last week. I’m starting to believe in this team, in fact I’ll go as far to say Eagles end up in the playoffs this season. Birds go into the Big Apple and get a road W. 

 

Atlanta Falcons (4-6) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (2-8)

Vegas Picks: ATL -2

Goldie’s Take: Falcons Win 23-20

Both offenses in this matchup have been an overall letdown this season. Atlanta has scored a total of 3 points in the past two games combined, and since the Jags bye week Jacksonville has only averaged 10 points per game. Believe it or not, Atlanta is still within spitting distance of the final NFC wild card spot so they might have some added motivation in this one. On the other hand, at 2-8 Jacksonville has already started to look towards the draft. Matt Ryan and Atlanta bounce back, and keep their season very much alive with a road win in Jacksonville. 

 

New York Jets (2-8) @ Houston Texans (2-8)

Vegas Picks: HOU -2.5

Goldie’s Take: Texans Win 20-14

Snoozefest of the week takes place in Houston as these two bottomfeeders face off. Although, somehow both of these 2-8 teams are responsible for one of the 8-3 Titans losses. Weird. When Houston QB Tyrod Taylor is healthy, they are a much better football team. 2-2 this season when Taylor starts. His dual-threat ability to run and pass adds another dimension to the Texans offense… Speaking of quarterbacks being healthy, Jets rookie QB Zach Wilson is set to return from injury this weekend. It’ll be interesting to see how the kid bounces back. Expect an ugly game but a Texans home cover. 

 

Los Angeles Chargers (6-4) @ Denver Broncos (5-5)

Vegas Picks: LAC -2.5

Goldie’s Take: Chargers Win 33-24

Both of these AFC West squads have been wildly inconsistent this season, and can’t seem to separate themselves from the middle of the pack. However, when talking about overall talent, I give the edge to the Chargers. Their offense is loaded with weapons and they’re all surrounding young stud quarterback Justin Herbert. Also, Broncos trading Von Miller earlier this season seems to point towards a rebuild for Denver. Chargers should go into Mile High and leave with a hard fought win. 

 

Los Angeles Rams (7-3) @ Green Bay Packers (8-3) 

Vegas Picks: LAR -1.5

Goldie’s Take: Packers Win 30-28

Easily the NFL’s game of the week is set for 4:25 in Green Bay this Sunday. I’m expecting a close, back and forth game no doubt, but I’m shocked that Vegas has the Rams favored on the road in Green Bay. I don’t see Aaron Rodgers losing two in a row, especially not at home in a big game. Making this one a big venue call as Green Bay hasn’t lost a home game all season, and are on a 10-1 run at Lambeau. I don’t see them losing this one. 

 

Cleveland Browns (6-5) @ Baltimore Ravens (7-4)

Vegas Picks: BAL -3.5

Goldie’s Take: Ravens Win 28-26

Some big names are set to return for both teams in this one. For Cleveland, they’ll most likely be getting back the second half of their superstar RB duo with Kareem Hunt set to return for the first time since week 6. On the other hand, Baltimore will be getting back Lamar Jackson who missed their last game due to COVID. It’s always a great game when these two match up as this is turning into a great rivalry. In this one I like the Ravens to get the primetime win at home in this divisional showdown. 

 

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Seattle Seahawks (3-7) @ Washington Football Team (4-6)

Vegas Picks: PK

Goldie’s Take: Seahawks Win 26-21

This season has been a disaster for Seattle who entered this season with very high hopes. The injury to Russell Wilson derailed them, and he hasn’t been as sharp since returning. Have to expect that to change though right? This week in Primetime against a below average “football team”, expect Seattle to get off the losing skid with a win in the  nation’s capital. 

Goldie’s Best Bets: Thanksgiving Edition

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Thanksgiving Day UPSET

Chicago Bears (3-7) @ Detroit Lions (0-9-1)

Vegas Picks: CHI -3

Goldie’s Take: Lions Win 24-21

The stage couldn’t be set up better for the lowly Lions to get their first win of what has been a very long and grueling season. Detroit has been competing with solid teams in their last few games with a tie against the Steelers and only a three point loss to the Browns. Meanwhile, Chicago is completely falling apart and many are speculating that Bears head coach Matt Nagy could be on the outs after this one. Mo-Town finally has something to be thankful for as the Lions come away with a Turkey Day UPSET!

 

Las Vegas Raiders (5-5) @ Dallas Cowboys (7-3)

Vegas Picks: DAL -7.5

Goldie’s Take: Cowboys Win 31-24

After the red hot 5-2 start things have kind of started to hit the fan for the Raiders. The drama with Jon Gruden and then Henry Ruggs is finally starting to catch up with them, as the squad in silver and black currently holds a three-game losing streak. On the other hand, the Cowboys have been excellent to start the season. A rough performance last week in KC merritts a Thanksgiving bounce back. Cowboys take care of business at home, but giving Raiders a very legitimate chance at covering. 

 

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Buffalo Bills (6-4) @ New Orleans Saints (5-5)

Vegas Picks: BUF -6.5

Goldie’s Take: Bills Win 30-23

The Bills have not been as high and mighty as we once thought. A loss to the Jaguars and a blowout loss at home versus the Colts is a very bad look for the Buffalo boys. However, the Saints don’t boast too much momentum coming into this one either, losers of three straight contests. Both of these squads are looking to get their mojo back after a tough couple of weeks, I believe in Josh Allen and the Bills to get back on track with a Thanksgiving night feast in N’awlins. 

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Minnesota

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The Heat fell short against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night, in a pretty physical match to say the least.

Emotional highs to on-court lows, here are five takeaways from this one…

#1: An attacking Bam Adebayo to start, but a struggling Bam Adebayo to finish.

Bam Adebayo was a hot topic on social media prior to this game, and it was for some slightly different reasons. Much of it was discussing the current placements of him as an offensive threat, and my feelings on this have always stayed consistent: getting to the rim should be number one. He’s faster than most bigs he matches up with, and he’s stronger than most guards that switch onto him. Early tonight, we saw a driving Adebayo. Minnesota couldn’t stop fouling him, which usually is a great thing for Bam, but for some reason he couldn’t get his free throws to drop. And those misses ended up hurting this Heat team in the end. After that attacking mindset early on, Minnesota quickly made him uncomfortable in the fourth down low, which ultimately put Miami in the biggest hole of the night.

#2: Welcome, Gabe Vincent.

Max Strus being knocked out of Miami’s nine man rotation right now is not something I expected at all, especially considering Markieff Morris has still yet to return. Caleb Martin has basically been the Morris replacer, and he’s done that extremely well. The replacer for Strus, on the other hand, has been Gabe Vincent, and he’s making his minutes felt. For one, there’s essentially an entire defensive scheme that is aligned with his minutes, with the 2-3 zone. But secondly, his three ball was finally falling, which leads to a completely different player. He has the role player qualities, he has strong defensive capabilities, but shooting off the catch when the defense is rotating has been the one missing piece. Yet, it was filled in tonight’s game, continuing to justify his trust for Vincent off the bench in this stretch.

#3: Tyler Herro pushing aside rough starts: the number one year to year change.

I’ve done a ton of Tyler Herro talk recently, both on paper and audibly, but there’s one thing that must be mentioned aside from the X’s and O’s. Herro hasn’t had many “rough starts,” but there is a common denominator to that when he does: he finds a way to shoot his way out of it and bounce back. It’s something many young players struggle with, and it’s something he’s struggled with specifically in recent years. But this year, he just keeps fighting to get to his spots, keeps putting the ball up, and keeps hoping for a positive result. Since ultimately, when you’re as talented as he is, there’s a certain amount of confidence it will return. Not that it has to jump off the stat-sheet as an efficient night, but mentally that corner must be turned. It wasn’t fully turned tonight in that way, but at least there’s more trust in him late even with those odd starts.

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#4: Whistles, technical fouls, and well, Udonis Haslem.

One of my takeaways have to be looked at from a wide lens: this game was pretty weird for a while there. A stretched out third quarter with technical fouls flying toward Udonis Haslem on the sideline, Kyle Lowry receiving his 5th foul, and Jimmy Butler-fan interactions. There was just absolutely no flow whatsoever, including long stoppages as the officials evaluated the positioning of Karl Anthony Towns and Gabe Vincent on a foul call. Usually games like this are a wake up call to this gritty Heat team immediately, but the Timberwolves have a dawg themselves in Anthony Edwards who thrives in the environment as well. Both teams weren’t backing down from a player on player perspective, but on the floor, Miami lost that battle.

#5: Kyle Lowry and Jimmy Butler switching on and off in the second half.

Kyle Lowry is watching from the sideline as one of the longest quarters continues to drag out in the third. With 5 fouls next to his name, he wasn’t going to see the floor until the fourth quarter. And after a horrible offensive quarter with that “in the mud” play-style due to constant whistles, he changed things to begin the 4th. Miami was down 88-82 at the beginning of the quarter, but by next timeout, the Heat led 89-88. That was thanks to Lowry settling the guys around him in an emotional game. But while Butler is the one on the bench now, Minnesota came right back with back-to-back threes of their own, leaving Miami in a frenzy for that other guy. Bam Adebayo couldn’t play his game down low with the swarming defenders, and it leaves a major takeaway for the need of Lowry and Butler to be out there together. It’s not possible most nights due to staggering, but that’s the changing factor. And yet, shortly after Butler entered, Lowry exited with his 6th foul.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Comeback Win Over Pistons

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The Miami Heat had a rough overall night against a low tier Detroit Pistons team, but came away with a win due to a Tyler Herro explosion.

He’s doing some elite level things as a scorer right now, and they’re very sustainable traits. Half-court control, defensive carving, and pure scoring one-on-one.

So, here are five takeaways from this matchup.

#1: Jimmy Butler comes out strong, while providing a broader team theme.

Starting off a post-game piece about Jimmy Butler is pretty normal this season, and that’s for a few reasons. For one, he’s scoring the ball at an elite level, and continues to get to the line as he’s averaging the most free throw makes a game this season. The other reason is that he’s been a first quarter killer recently. Why is this being looked at slightly negatively? Well, it seems like one player has their “quarter” every night. Butler, Bam Adebayo, Kyle Lowry, and Tyler Herro all seem to take turns on the offensive end, which frankly isn’t a great way to operate, especially when you pride yourselves on a ton of movement and non-stop ball movement. Once they can just gel ‘together’ for 48 minutes, that’s when you’ll see them really turn the corner offensively.

#2: When lineups look for offensive comfort, they often look for Tyler Herro.

As sixth man Herro enters the game, he has a simple rotational routine with this group. Play next to Butler to start, while Bam and Lowry revolve next to him shortly after. The point is that he’s playing with a ton of different combinations, yet there is one common denominator among every unit: Herro is the comfortable offensive piece. He’s no longer looking around for somebody to bounce off of, but others are searching for Herro to take control. As great of a point guard as Lowry is, the team is in a different level of control when Herro just takes guys off the dribble and scores like he was to finish this game. We knew a lot about Herro’s game heading into the season, but possessing that comfort and control was in question. Well, not anymore. He’s their guy.

#3: Miami’s lineups getting more and more interesting.

Miami’s starting lineup was in tact tonight even though Duncan Robinson, PJ Tucker, and Adebayo all had some questionable tags prior. Still, Miami’s missing Markieff Morris off the bench after the incident with Nikola Jokic, so it’s just the usual rotation, right? Wrong. As Miami floated through the first half, it took me a bit to realize that Max Strus hadn’t entered. Caleb Martin and Gabe Vincent were both utilized instead, as Miami’s defense was based around their top of the key presence in the 2-2-1 press and 2-3 zone. But the lineups are the interesting part. Martin at the 4? Lowry-Vincent-Herro combinations for long stretches? This Pistons team was small due to them being without two of their bigs, but rolling with these groupings as a stretch shooter, in Strus, is on the sideline is just an interesting choice.

#4: Miami’s defense is schematically set-up to move forward, but continues to revert back.

The Heat’s defense was projected to be very high this season, and that begins with the surrounding cast allowing them to be much more controlled on that end of the floor. A point of attack defender in Lowry means Adebayo can play by the rim more often, and Tucker on the back-side gives them more perimeter flexibility. But the soft switching has not only returned, it has been elevated even further. Weak-side screen comes, Lowry’s on a big, Adebayo’s on a guard. Screen comes on the ball, Robinson’s defending in isolation. Where “soft” switching comes into play is that Detroit isn’t even setting hard screens. It’s just come up and the ball-handler retreats with his new defender. This team is an elite defensive team, but they need to fight through those screens to uphold their elite defensive skill.

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#5: Living at the free throw line: balancing that in a good and bad way.

There are two totally different reasons that Miami has lived at the free throw line in specific games. One of those reasons is that Miami just dominates the pace and can dictate when they elect to slow things down. The other reason, which was the case tonight, is that offense is so terrible that getting to the line is the only source of offense. In many ways, before the fourth quarter Herro explosion, the free throw line was the only thing that kept Miami competitive with this 4 win Pistons team. Butler obviously dominated in that category, but many other role players quickly followed suit. Some nights high free throw shooting doesn’t equate to a great offensive night, but sometimes it just gets the job done when needed.

 

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Which NFL Teams do Sports Betting Sites Favor to Compete at Super Bowl LVI?

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While the 2021 Super Bowl does not actually play out in 2021 as originally planned, this has only led to an increase in anticipation. Now set for Sunday the 13th of February 2022 because of the pandemic, it means that we’re now just a few months away from seeing another team crowned as champions.

As anticipation levels heat, you might have wondered which teams are currently the favorite to make it to the super bowl. Perhaps you feel like backing that team on an online sportsbook? Well, we have you covered on the teams currently favored at the top betting sites in the US.

Before you place a bet, just make sure you check out the USA states with legal sports betting listed here. Below, we will take you through the teams that currently have the best odds at many top sports books. The odds we have given are an average of each of those, so will differ depending on where you go. 

Kansas City Chiefs (+600)

For many, the Kansas City Chiefs have the squad best equipped to win Super Bowl 2021. Not only that, but they have made the final in each of the last two seasons. Sure, they lost the last one comprehensively against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but it is difficult to bet against them making three finals in a row. 

Add in a relatively easy fixture list compared to others, and it is easy to see why the Chiefs are currently the favorites with online sports betting sites. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+650)

That actually brings us neatly onto the team that is currently second-favorites with many bookmakers. The Buccaneers deservedly won the last time around, but much of that was down to a surprisingly poor performance by the Chiefs than a knockout performance by the Buccaneers. 

Their roster is the league’s most experienced and, of course, they still have Tom Brady. This team has the quality to repeat history, so we feel the bookies have the odds right on this one. 

Buffalo Bills (+700)

The Buffalo Bills were just one game from the final last time around, having been sent home by the Chiefs. However, many feel that they would have delivered a better final performance than their victors did. This team went on a monumental run last year, claiming 13 victories from 16 games. You cannot argue with that kind of form. 

If they perform similarly this year, we feel they have a significant chance of going one step better than last year.

LA Rams (+800)

The Rams also had an impressive year last time out with 10 wins from 16. However, their form did slip rather alarmingly. The good news is that they have started this season on fire and are looking a promising bet for that final. It is still early though, and anything can happen in football. 

While we think they have a better chance than many others, we feel that even if they made the final, there are a handful of teams that are a level above them. 

Could an Outsider Cause a Surprise? 

Just because the bookies favor some teams, it does not mean the others do not stand a chance. In fact, many punters actually believe an outsider could cause a bit of a shock. They would hope so too if they have backed them at longer odds. One team on the lips of some is the Indianapolis Colts, but are they truly a legitimate contender? 

Another outsider that some are backing includes the Baltimore Ravens at +1600. This is a team that has some fantastic ability amongst its roster. On their day, this team can beat anybody. The question is how often those days come around. 

All Bets are Off!

Did you have your suspicions confirmed on the current favorites? Well, whether or not you did, you now know which teams the bookies think have the best chance of winning Super Bowl 2021. Remember that those odds change after every result and performance, so the favorite today might not be this time next week. 

If you’re thinking about placing some bets, just be careful, as while the odds given by online bookmakers are usually a good barometer of your chances, anything can happen. There have been some monumental NFL collapses previously, and this could quite easily happen again. Also, make sure you shop around to find online sports betting sites with the best odds on your pick.