5.2

Kevin Love will miss the Eastern Conference Semi-Final series. Also JR Smith will be suspended for (I think) 3-5 matches due to his punch to the Celtics guy.

Cavs will play Bulls in the semi-final. Having the above in mind I think Bulls can win the series against Cavs as they have all their players back (Rose looks also fit) and Cavs will miss both the scoring from Love and JR and at the same time they will become far more predictable putting the ball into Lebron's and Irving's hands. Cavs are available to lay at 1.75 to win the Easter Conference. Even if Cavs win the semi-final series, they will still have to beat the Hawks to win the conference.

Any thoughts from the NBA experts?

Is this just me or do bookies not allow multiples in the draft?

[the potato race?]

Really like Value at Risk in the potato race tomorrow. The yard, the step up in trip, the ground coming softer won't hurt, and if I'm being honest, the dope angle, are all positives and there's 12-1 available if anyone can get you on with PP. Don't like the place terms though. Anyone likely to go four places in the morning? Want to suggest Fred's 1pt bet ew at 10s or over if they do.

first things first

the potato race?
at least i had to only get to the third race to find the horse!

1pt e/w ish....

£10.00 Single
Market   Selection   Price   Hcp
3m Novice Hurdle
Outright Betting
EW 1/4 1,2,3    Value At Risk    10/1    
Total stake   £ 20.00
Estimated return   £ 145.00
Full stake   £ 20.00
Full estimated return   £ 145.00

It's sponsored by a potato grower, Albert Bartlett.

Shockingly inappropriate for a Festival race.

The JCB Triumph Hurdle is so much sexier, JCB are manufacturers of truly awesome hydraulic backhoe excavators.

For today's quiz, name the very famous location where this photo was taken. If you don't recognize that stunning wrought iron balustrade & railings, you have been reading the wrong websites. 

Click to see full-size image.

Brighton?

Sprinter 4/1 special with betfair sportsbook
£25

Link?

There on the app. Betfair sports book app. Just tried to locate it online, couldn't find it.

I guess its gone as I can't find it on the app now.

Sprinter 4/1 special with betfair sportsbook
£25

Link?

Not much of offer but for those who use it betfair are giving 15% bonus on profits tomorrow at Cheltenham, up to £10.

I got the same offer but up to £50.

Douvan 3/1
Annie Power evens
Ladbrokes 9am

Is this just in shops? Do we know what the max bet is?

£100 on each supposedly.
Online and in shops.

For the Douvan offer is £25 max.

See here: http://thelowdown.ladbrokeslife.com/cheltenham-festival-2015/p/5?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_content=sports&utm_name=horseracing&hootPostID=bb4e982a6bf00a1e2a095ab9e8b37ff1

Don't know about Annie.

How much is it to enter?

I'm a sucker for the highlight reel but I loved LeBron's finish of the alley oop pass from Irving where he rolled it in with one hand. It was such a bad pass and his body was so awkward to catch it but he made it look easy. I can't find a decent quality clip on Youtube of it to share.

Cavs looked pretty average. I can't believe that they are still big favourites for the title. I suppose much of it is just because they are in the East. Wizards are a fun team to watch though, I am going to try to catch more of their games.

Thanks for the very strong Toronto tip at the start of the season. Your confidence convinced me to put a decent chunk on before the first game!

Mixed night on the NBA. Toronto (as usual) have hosed up by 40 at home to the in form Bucks to go 10-2.  They really are looking like the real deal.  2/5 with skybet they win their division is stealing money for anyone who can get it and willing to tie money up for 5 months.  You don't get 40% in the bank.  Couldn't put anyone off topping up on them ew at 40/1 for the nba title either.  20/1 to win the East is a huge price given how bad the Cavs are playing and how injury prone the Bulls are.  Parker (ROY bet) had another good solid game even in a big defeat (15 points 6 rebounds 3 assists) for the Bucks.

Spurs hosed up on the road by 25ish at the time of writing.  I had a detailed look at the Spurs first 10 games and they were really unlucky not to be 9-1 against some really tough opponents (most of them on the road).  They have only been beat more than 5 in one game all season and they rested their entire team that night.  As i said before i really like the spurs next month's schedule they could easily go on a 15 game win streak.  Ladbrokes have gone 11/10 they win their division today and i think we should top up with another £50 at 11/10.

Rondo has had a terrible night assist wise (albeit against the best defence in the league so it was exepected tonight) with only 4 assists.  Paul didn't play tonight and Wall (3rd in standings only had 6 assists in his game so the damage isn't that bad).

Cavs lost on the road to the Wiz.  They really are looking poor as a unit.  It's early days but i watched their whole game tonight on BT sport and they were really poor.  They have longer term chemistry issues which i am not convinced are that easy to solve.  Their rookie coach might be struggling here to cope with the expectations/ dealing with 3 all stars on his team.  Cavs now have a 5 game home stand and a further 4 games after that against East coast teams (9 total games against East teams which is the weaker conference) so the next 2 weeks for the Cavs is key.  During this 9 game sequence they play all 3 of this season's games against the Raptors, 2 of them at home.  Similar to the Spurs they have a very easy month ahead and should improve but will they sufficiently improve to be able to live up to early season expectations?

The biggest problem the Cavs have is that their bench is one of the worst in the league and it is getting outscored by almost every single team in the NBA. You can't have James, Love and Irving playing 40mins over 82 games. That's not possible.

I know many believe they can win the Eastern conference but I don't share the view. I don't know how things and injuries evolve but I don't see this happening if they don't improve or get some help from their bench. We know Bulls are also favourites, but Wizards and the Raptors are very good young and athletic teams and I see them being a decent obstacle for James and the injury-prone Bulls.

I understand what you are saying but the stats are irrelevant.  If the starters are all playing 40 minutes a game then obviously the Cavs will have the lowest scoring bench as their reserves hardly play any minutes.   It's a lot easier to coast through the reg season in the East than the West.  At the end of the day they still have the best player in the world and 2 other prime time all stars in their team.  That has always been a recipe for a deep play off/title run in the last 30 years no matter who is playing around them.

I am echoing your comments about how easy Eastern conference is. Absolutely correct.

Currently Lebron is number 3 of minutes played in the league and Irving is no. 4. If you want to win the league its a must to have a decent bench like Spurs and maybe did before. You need star players but you need good players to support them that they are going to give you points when the key players need a rest. If they have a crap bench then you have to depend on starters to do the job therefore the high minutes.

Another problem they have is Irving. He is a really good player but he is pretty selfish, wants to have and shoot the ball all the time and rarely passes it. Its kind of understandable though. He is young, ambitious and that's the style of basketball he played in the past few years. But if he doesn't adapt to the new circumstances, I would say they have little chance of winning the league.

It looks like the same situation when James signed for Miami. First few games little was going well for them because Wade is kind of Irving's style. Their difference is that Wade had already won the league and he was older and more mature so he understood that he had to sacrifice himself and his scoring for the team, because he wanted to win the league again and didn't want to go to a "battle" with Lebron regarding who is the best on the court.

I'm a sucker for the highlight reel but I loved LeBron's finish of the alley oop pass from Irving where he rolled it in with one hand. It was such a bad pass and his body was so awkward to catch it but he made it look easy. I can't find a decent quality clip on Youtube of it to share.

Cavs looked pretty average. I can't believe that they are still big favourites for the title. I suppose much of it is just because they are in the East. Wizards are a fun team to watch though, I am going to try to catch more of their games.

Thanks for the very strong Toronto tip at the start of the season. Your confidence convinced me to put a decent chunk on before the first game!

Mixed night on the NBA. Toronto (as usual) have hosed up by 40 at home to the in form Bucks to go 10-2.  They really are looking like the real deal.  2/5 with skybet they win their division is stealing money for anyone who can get it and willing to tie money up for 5 months.  You don't get 40% in the bank.  Couldn't put anyone off topping up on them ew at 40/1 for the nba title either.  20/1 to win the East is a huge price given how bad the Cavs are playing and how injury prone the Bulls are.  Parker (ROY bet) had another good solid game even in a big defeat (15 points 6 rebounds 3 assists) for the Bucks.

Spurs hosed up on the road by 25ish at the time of writing.  I had a detailed look at the Spurs first 10 games and they were really unlucky not to be 9-1 against some really tough opponents (most of them on the road).  They have only been beat more than 5 in one game all season and they rested their entire team that night.  As i said before i really like the spurs next month's schedule they could easily go on a 15 game win streak.  Ladbrokes have gone 11/10 they win their division today and i think we should top up with another £50 at 11/10.

Rondo has had a terrible night assist wise (albeit against the best defence in the league so it was exepected tonight) with only 4 assists.  Paul didn't play tonight and Wall (3rd in standings only had 6 assists in his game so the damage isn't that bad).

Cavs lost on the road to the Wiz.  They really are looking poor as a unit.  It's early days but i watched their whole game tonight on BT sport and they were really poor.  They have longer term chemistry issues which i am not convinced are that easy to solve.  Their rookie coach might be struggling here to cope with the expectations/ dealing with 3 all stars on his team.  Cavs now have a 5 game home stand and a further 4 games after that against East coast teams (9 total games against East teams which is the weaker conference) so the next 2 weeks for the Cavs is key.  During this 9 game sequence they play all 3 of this season's games against the Raptors, 2 of them at home.  Similar to the Spurs they have a very easy month ahead and should improve but will they sufficiently improve to be able to live up to early season expectations?

The biggest problem the Cavs have is that their bench is one of the worst in the league and it is getting outscored by almost every single team in the NBA. You can't have James, Love and Irving playing 40mins over 82 games. That's not possible.

I know many believe they can win the Eastern conference but I don't share the view. I don't know how things and injuries evolve but I don't see this happening if they don't improve or get some help from their bench. We know Bulls are also favourites, but Wizards and the Raptors are very good young and athletic teams and I see them being a decent obstacle for James and the injury-prone Bulls.

The slowly improving Faroes appear to have beaten Greece away

#embarrassing

Well played TK.

Good thing to wake up in the morning and seeing you doing well. Onwards and upwards.

Give us a win otherwise you won't be allowed to enter the country when you come back.

Reus has indeed been ruled out of the WC (as were Shirokov and Ribery following friendlies), that will be settled as a loser tomorrow

I think because he got replaced before the start of the WCQ stake may be refunded. You should contact the bookie.