The Golden State Warriors have lost 2 in a row, yet still managed to remain ahead of Atlanta, winners of 18 straight, in the weekly rankings. The Warriors were about 4.5 points better than Atlanta a week ago, but that advantage is now closer to 2.5, and though Atlanta is hotter right now and has a better overall record, Golden State still has the advantage in strength of schedule and margin of victory. How much longer can they hold off the Hawks?
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Rec
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Proj
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TW
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LW
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Team
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Rating
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W
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L
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W
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L
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PO Seed
|
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1
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1
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Golden State
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-10.2506
|
36
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8
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66
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16
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W1
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2
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2
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Atlanta
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-7.56978
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39
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8
|
66
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16
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E1
|
|
3
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3
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LA Clippers
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-6.85086
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32
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15
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56
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26
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W2
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|
4
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9
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Memphis
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-4.67382
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34
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12
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56
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26
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W3
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|
5
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4
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Dallas
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-4.21758
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31
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17
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51
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31
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W6
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|
6
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7
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Houston
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-3.75765
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33
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14
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54
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28
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W4
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7
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6
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San Antonio
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-3.53522
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30
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17
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51
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31
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W7
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8
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5
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Portland
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-3.45274
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32
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15
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52
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30
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W5
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9
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11
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Toronto
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-3.16065
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32
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15
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54
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28
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E2
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10
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13
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Milwaukee
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-2.49118
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24
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22
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46
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36
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E6
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11
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15
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Cleveland
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-1.95489
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28
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20
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48
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34
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E5
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|
12
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10
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Phoenix
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-1.94939
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28
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20
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46
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36
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W8
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|
13
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8
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Oklahoma City
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-1.93047
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23
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23
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43
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39
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14
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14
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New Orleans
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-1.74634
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25
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22
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44
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38
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15
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12
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Chicago
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-1.05294
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31
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18
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50
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32
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E3
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16
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16
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Washington
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-0.7097
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31
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16
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50
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32
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E4
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17
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18
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Utah
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0.43303
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17
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30
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34
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48
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18
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19
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Indiana
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1.55672
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16
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32
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33
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49
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19
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17
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Detroit
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1.74284
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17
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30
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33
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49
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20
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20
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Charlotte
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2.09508
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18
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28
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34
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48
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E8
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21
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21
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Boston
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2.95176
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16
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29
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32
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50
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22
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22
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Denver
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3.39472
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19
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28
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32
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50
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23
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24
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Miami
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3.69698
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20
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26
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35
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47
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E7
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|
24
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23
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Sacramento
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3.8878
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16
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29
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29
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53
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|
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25
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26
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LA Lakers
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4.67691
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14
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33
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27
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55
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26
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25
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Brooklyn
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5.8722
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19
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27
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30
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52
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|
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27
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27
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Orlando
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5.9565
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15
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34
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26
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56
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28
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28
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New York
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7.78536
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9
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38
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19
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63
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29
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29
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Minnesota
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8.69444
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7
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39
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14
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68
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30
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30
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Philadelphia
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10.5994
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10
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37
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17
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65
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Memphis has moved into the top 5 after winning 5 in a row and 9 of its past 10. This week they played 3 home games against far inferior competition, all big wins, but they also won big on the road at Dallas, which is the team they have replaced at #4. This week's only game against a team that is projected to make the playoffs is Monday at Phoenix.
Milwaukee moved into the top 10 this week, joining Atlanta and Toronto as the only Eastern Conference teams near the top, and they did it with a 3-1 record on the week. They won all 3 against teams with losing records, but lost when they played a real team at San Antonio, although they did keep the game close. This week will be tough, with games against Portland, Houston, and Toronto.
Playoff Picks
First Round
(1) Hawks over (8) Hornets
(2) Raptors over (7) Heat
(6) Bucks over (3) Bulls
(5) Cavaliers over (4) Wizards
(1) Warriors over (8) Suns
(2) Clippers over (7) Spurs
(6) Mavericks over (3) Grizzlies
(5) Trail Blazers over (4) Rockets
Second Round
(1) Hawks over (5) Cavaliers
(6) Bucks over (2) Raptors
(1) Warriors over (5) Trail Blazers
(6) Mavericks over (2) Clippers
Conference Finals
(1) Hawks over (6) Bucks
(1) Warriors over (6) Mavericks
NBA Finals
(1) Hawks over (1) Warriors
Predictions
Upset picks are in italics.
NBA
Sacramento at Indiana - Pacers by 5
Dallas at Orlando - Mavericks by 8
Toronto at Washington - Raptors by 1
Philadelphia at Atlanta - Hawks by 20
Houston at Detroit - Rockets by 3
Oklahoma City at Memphis - Grizzlies by 5
Cleveland at Minnesota - Cavaliers by 8
Portland at Milwaukee - Bucks by 1
Charlotte at Denver - Nuggets by 1
LA Clippers at San Antonio - Clippers by 1
Phoenix at Golden State - Warriors by 11
College Basketball
Texas Tech at (17) West Virginia - Mountaineers by 22
Tulane at Temple - Owls by 12
Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan - Eagles by 7
NC State at Georgia Tech - Yellowjackets by 1
(8) Notre Dame at Pittsburgh - Fighting Irish by 8
Boston College at Clemson - Tigers by 6
Providence at St. John's - Red Storm by 4
Xavier at Seton Hall - Pirates by 2
Davidson at Saint Joseph's - Wildcats by 7
(5) Wisconsin at Iowa - Badgers by 6
Auburn at Tennessee - Volunteers by 11
Stony Brook at New Hampshire - Wildcats by 1
South Florida at Tulsa - Golden Hurricane by 15
Lipscomb at Stetson - Bisons by 1
Penn State at Illinois - Fighting Illini by 12
Arkansas at Florida - Gators by 7
Bradley at Indiana State - Sycamores by 7
TCU at (15) Iowa State - Cyclones by 9
Kansas State at (9) Kansas - Jayhawks by 15
Illinois State at Loyola (IL) - Redbirds by 4
IPFW at Omaha - Mavericks by 3
Boston U at Lehigh - Mountain Hawks by 7
Virginia Tech at Wake Forest - Demon Deacons by 9
(25) Butler at Marquette - Bulldogs by 4
(7) Villanova at DePaul - Wildcats by 11
(21) Georgetown at Creighton - Hoyas by 4
Kennesaw State at Jacksonville - Dolphins by 3
Mount St. Mary's at Sacred Heart - Crusaders by 4
Arkansas State at Georgia State - Panthers by 18
Albany at Maine - Great Danes by 12
UMass Lowell at Binghamton - River Hawks by 2
Vermont at Hartford - Catamounts by 1
LSU at Mississippi State - Tigers by 6
Green Bay at Cleveland State - Vikings by 2
Charleston at Delaware - Blue Hens by 1
Richmond at (14) VCU - Rams by 12
Loyola (MD) at Army - Black Knights by 14
UAB at UTSA - Roadrunners by 1
Tennessee Tech at Belmont - Bruins by 7
Valparaiso at UIC - Crusaders by 11
Bethune-Cookman at Florida A&M - Wildcats by 7
Evansville at Drake - Purple Aces by 9
Rutgers at (22) Indiana - Hoosiers by 16
Ball State at Miami (OH) - Redhawks by 1
Idaho State at North Dakota - No Nicknames by 9
(12) Wichita State at (18) Northern Iowa - Panthers by 1
Loyola Marymount at Pacific - Tigers by 5
(13) North Carolina at (10) Louisville - Cardinals by 3
Coastal Carolina at Gardner-Webb - Chanticleers by 1
Winthrop at Radford - Highlanders by 8
Southern at Alcorn State - Jaguars by 7
Bryant at Robert Morris - Colonials by 7
Central Connecticut State at Wagner - Seahawks by 13
Fairleigh Dickinson at St. Francis (PA) - Red Flash by 13
LIU Brooklyn at St. Francis (NY) - Terriers by 11
New Orleans at McNeese State - Cowboys by 5
Georgia at South Carolina - Gamecocks by 3
Ole Miss at Missouri - Rebels by 5
UNC Wilmington at Drexel - Seahawks by 3
William & Mary at James Madison - Tribe by 2
Morgan State at Howard - Bison by 10
Coppin State at Maryland-Eastern Shore - Hawks by 14
George Washington at Rhode Island - Rams by 3
Massachusetts at Saint Louis - Minutemen by 4
SIU Edwardsville at Eastern Illinois - Panthers by 5
Eastern Kentucky at Morehead State - Eagles by 1
Ohio at Central Michigan - Chippewas by 18
Campbell at UNC Asheville - Bulldogs by 8
Incarnate Word at Nicholls State - Cardinals by 11
Vanderbilt at Texas A&M - Aggies by 6
Idaho at Eastern Washington - Eagles by 13
Western Carolina at UNC Greensboro - Catamounts by 1
South Alabama at UL Monroe - Warhawks by 12
Detroit at Milwaukee - Titans by 2
Oral Roberts at South Dakota - Coyotes by 2
Denver at South Dakota State - Jackrabbits by 13
Marshall at Louisiana Tech - Bulldogs by 19
UL Lafayette at Texas State - Bobcats by 1
Houston Baptist at Sam Houston - Bearkats by 20
(19) Texas at (20) Baylor - Bears by 3
Pepperdine at Saint Mary's - Gaels by 8
The Citadel at Chattanooga - Mocs by 14
Jackson State at Mississippi Valley State - Tigers by 8
Yale at Cornell - Big Red by 1
Dartmouth at Princeton - Tigers by 3
Western Kentucky at Southern Miss - Hilltoppers by 11
Nevada at Wyoming - Cowboys by 16
Fresno State at Colorado State - Rams by 17
Nebraska at Minnesota - Golden Gophers by 12
Purdue at Northwestern - Boilermakers by 1
Delaware State at South Carolina State - Bulldogs by 1
North Carolina A&T at Savannah State - Tigers by 3
Hampton at Norfolk State - Spartans by 15
Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Grambling State - Golden Lions by 8
Alabama A&M at Prairie View - Panthers by 7
Saint Peter's at Iona - Gaels by 14
Colgate at Bucknell - Bison by 3
Lafayette at Navy - Leopards by 1
Akron at Bowling Green - Falcons by 5
(4) Duke at (2) Virginia - Cavaliers by 7
USC Upstate at North Florida - Ospreys by 4
Northern Kentucky at Florida Gulf Coast - Eagles by 7
Mercer at Wofford - Terriers by 10
Charleston Southern at Liberty - Buccaneers by 5
Longwood at Presbyterian - Blue Hose by 1
George Mason at Duquesne - Dukes by 3
Brown at Columbia - Lions by 14
Harvard at Pennsylvania - Crimson by 3
FIU at Charlotte - 49ers by 13
FAU at Old Dominion - Monarchs by 18
Abilene Christian at Lamar - Cardinals by 9
Texas A&M-CC at SF Austin - Lumberjacks by 20
Hawaii at Long Beach State - 49ers by 10
Alabama at (1) Kentucky - Wildcats by 26
Elon at Northeastern - Huskies by 10
La Salle at St. Bonaventure - Bonnies by 5
NC Central at East Tennessee State - Buccaneers by 1
Arkansas-Little Rock at Georgia Southern - Eagles by 16
(24) Oklahoma at Oklahoma State - Sooners by 1
UCF at SMU - Mustangs by 22
San Francisco at San Diego - Toreros by 4
Toledo at Northern Illinois - Rockets by 3
Furman at Samford - Bulldogs by 9
Rice at North Texas - Mean Green by 6
Utah State at San Diego State - Aztecs by 14
San Jose State at New Mexico - Lobos by 28
Northwestern State at SE Louisiana - Golden Lions by 6
CS Northridge at UC Riverside - Highlanders by 8
SE Missouri State at Austin Peay - Governors by 1
UT Martin at Murray State - Racers by 9
Towson at Hofstra - Pride by 17
Southern Illinois at Missouri State - Bears by 5
Troy at UT Arlington - Mavericks by 14
Stanford at Washington State - Cardinal by 9
Jacksonville State at Tennessee State - Tigers by 4
Alabama State at Texas Southern - Tigers by 8
Weber State at Northern Colorado - Bears by 6
Northern Arizona at Southern Utah - Thunderbirds by 1
Santa Clara at BYU - Cougars by 21
Chicago State at Grand Canyon - Antelopes by 11
UT Pan American at New Mexico State - Aggies by 24
Middle Tennessee at UTEP - Miners by 12
Memphis at (3) Gonzaga - Bulldogs by 21
Seattle at CS Bakersfield - Roadrunners by 7
Air Force at UNLV - Rebels by 13
Cal Poly at UC Davis - Aggies by 6
UC Santa Barbara at UC Irvine - Anteaters by 7
Montana State at Portland State - Vikings by 9
Montana at Sacramento State - Hornets by 4
UMKC at Utah Valley - Wolverines by 4
Colorado at UCLA - Bruins by 5
Projected correct: 108/151
Prediction Results
NBA: 6-3 (.667) 479-213 overall (.692)
College Basketball: 7-5 (.583) 2886-916 overall (.759)
Upsets: 0-1 (.000) 238-258 overall (.480)
Pick of the Day: 73-2
Pick of the Day
New Mexico
The Lobos are hosting San Jose State tonight, and the Spartans still haven't won a Division I game, so any time they play a good team it is an easy pick for me.
