In the first round blog I had three series, and won two of three.

I missed with the Phoenix Suns, which as stated in the write-up was really a play against the Spurs. No surprise that what unfolded is the Suns beat themselves, after San Antonio snatched their hearts and crushed them in the game one double over-time come-from-behind win. Spurs played better than expected though, as they looked experienced not old, making the right moves at the right times, the opposite of the Suns play in the series.

Got a winner with the LeBrons, which was a price play. After watching Washington money come in I jumped at the Cavs at a generous round one number. Though they won’t go far this post season this is the team that just missed winning it all last year, and getting out of round one was in their reach. Their pride was at stake, and they gave a little extra effort, adding a little extra to my account.

Also won with Utah, a team I really like. Wish they had San Antonio in round two.

I missed my only free NBA game play in the blog, but hit 11 of 17 package games for a nice profit there. With the series and the package numbers combined, round one went very well and this post season is shaping up like last year’s – extra money in the bank.

In round one I had one play I made in pocket but couldn't share here at Sportsmemo - Under 100' in the second half of Suns/Spurs game four. In that game, the Spurs jacked a 13 point Q1, and the Suns were in command at the half by 22 points. Despite earlier collapses I knew Phoenix would not blow this one, reverting to "slow-ball" to work the clock on every possession in the second half, and factoring in a three game lead and the next game at home I knew the Spurs would turn slacker in the second half. I made my number, got the same when I called in, and took it Under. Both teams combined for 83 points, an easy winner by 17 and a hook. So why write about this one? Because I couldn’t get it to players, as it was a second half play, BUT . . . we may have a solution for that coming up next week. Watch for an announcement . . .

Today, I will continue with my “Fade the Spurs in the post season” play, and take New Orleans in round two.  Experience (on the part of the Spurs) showed in round one (along with Wile E. Coyote-like genius on the part of D’Antoni) but will round two be the round where “experience” suddenly starts to look more like “age” and the quicker, younger Hornets send them home?

This one, to me, seems like the younger, hungrier team versus a team that simply knows how to win, especially in the money games. The question is - do the young lions have what it takes, and is the old lion long-in-the-tooth enough to be vanquished from the pride?  

A couple sayings come to mind:

“Youth is wasted on the Young” (George Bernard Shaw)

And “Youth is easy to deceive, because it is quick to hope” (Aristotle; the real one, not Shaq)

both of which would seem to favor San Antonio, but:

“Almost everything that is great has been done by youth” (Benjamin Disraeli)

And “A man loves the meat in his youth that he cannot endure in his age.” (Bill Shakespeare)

I always thought Shaw was a bit of an a-hole, and Aristotle was Greek, so I lean towards Disraeli and Shakespeare (I’m not entirely sure but I think in this quote Bill was talking about the advantages of youth over old age in basketball, and not the need for Viagra.)

Hornets +125