2014-15 NBA Preview

Photo courtesy of Deaspin

I'm very excited for this NBA season. A wild offseason has conjured up a great amount of interest all across the league, and I think we're in for one of the more fun seasons in recent memory. A star came home in a move so big it forced me to basically write an NBA Preview in July, teams added key pieces that should raise the entire team to a new level, there are quite a few breakout candidates, and of course, everyone is excited to see what should be the best rookie class in recent memory.

So, with that in mind, it's time to get started with this giant preview that will get you set for the season, complete with projections for each and every team, standings, awards,m and of course, a champion.

Let's kick if off with the Eastern Conference standings:

Week 8 Preview: Percy Harvin's Debut (Bills at Jets)

Photo courtesy of ESPN

OUT
Bills: WR Marquise Goodwin (hamstring), LB Ty Powell (ankle)

Jets: None

DOUBTFUL
Bills: RB Fred Jackson (groin)

Jets: None

QUESTIONABLE
Bills: WR Marcus Easley (knee), S Aaron Williams

Jets: OLB Trevor Reilly (knee), WR Greg Salas (wrist/ankle)

PROBABLE
Bills: LB Brandon Spikes (ribs), WR Sammy Watkins (groin), DE Mario Williams (thumb), CB Ron Brooks (groin)

Jets: OL Oday Aboushi (shoulder), CB Philip Adams (groin), LB Antwan Barnes (knee), G Willie Colon (knee), WR Eric Decker (hamstring), LD David Harris (shoulder), RB Chris Johnson (ankle), C Nick Mangold (shoulder), RB Bilal Powell (foot), CB Darrin Wals (knee)

NFL Picks: Week 8

Photo courtesy of Fox Sports

I have no real qualms about how I ended up with another losing record last week. It happens. You win some you lose some.

As for this week, it kicked off with Thursday night football. As always, I tweeted out my pick. Follow me (@WilliamBotchway) for my random musings, and Thursday night picks like these:

My Pick for tonight's game: BRONCOS (-7) over Chargers. It's just hard to stop them at home.
— William Botchway (@WilliamBotchway) October 24, 2014

As you all probably know by now, that was a win for me. I'm still well under .500 for the year however, and I don't see when that will change. Hopefully I can pull off a streak when the bye weeks are over and these are 16 games every week. Hopefully.

UPSET ALERT next to games in which I think the underdog will win outright, not just cover. Home team in CAPS.

NFL Picks: Week 7

Photo courtesy of ESPN

Last week I got two of my picks wrong because of stupid touchdowns in the final minute of the game by the favorite, allowing them to cover. Even worse, both of those touchdowns were pick-sixes during desperate attempts by the underdog to tie the game, or in the case of Washington, have a chance to win it on their final drive. But, Geno Smith threw a pick to Aqib Talib, who scored with 15 seconds left in the game, while Rashad Johnson returned a Kirk Cousins interception for a touchdown with 18 seconds remaining. 

Those are two of the dumbest backdoor covers I've ever seen.

We now live in a world where the Browns have a great chance of being 6-2, and the Cowboys have a great chance of being 9-1. Yup. 

My week got off to a good start on Thursday. As always, I made my pick on Twitter (@WilliamBotchway):

My pick for tonight's game: Jets (+9.5) over PATRIOTS. I know I'm going to be wrong, but those are a lot of points to give the Jets
— William Botchway (@WilliamBotchway) October 16, 2014

It turns out I was right. And, just when I thought that the Jets were going to complete their comeback drive and salvage their season...

Make it stop.

But hey, at least I'll be getting a Percy Harvin jersey by the end of the year. If it sounds like I'm underselling my excitement for that trade, I am. I'm saving it all for a later article. 

Quick picks this week, as my computer decided that it doesn't feel like connecting to the internet this morning.

UPSET ALERT next to games in which I think the underdog will win outright, not just cover. Home team in CAPS.

Week 6 Preview: Broncos at Jets

Photo courtesy of the Denver Post

OUT
Broncos: Running back Montee Ball (groin)

Jets: None

DOUBTFUL
Broncos: None

Jets: S Josh Bush (quadriceps)

QUESTIONABLE
Broncos: None

Jets: WR Eric Decker (hamstring), Linebacker David Harris (shoulder)WR David Nelson (ankle), Cornerback Darrin Walls (knee)

PROBABLE
Broncos: S David Bruton (shoulder), WR Andre Caldwell (knee), CB Chris Harris (knee), LB Lerentee McCray (knee), K Brandon McManus (groin), T Michael Schofield (non-injury related), RB Juwan Thompson (knee)

Jets: G Willie Colon (knee), TE Jeff Cumberland (illness) T Breno Giacomini (back), DL Damon Harrison (ankle), RB Chris Johnson (ankle), C Nick Mangold (shoulder), CB Dee Milliner (quadriceps),

NFL Picks: Week 6

Photo courtesy of Fox Sports

My picks are on a roll! After finally getting over the .500 hump for the first time in Week 4, I followed it up with a nice performance last week. It seems I'm starting to get a better grasp on this year's NFL.

How 'bout them Browns???

This week, I kicked it off by making my Thursday night pick on Twitter (@WilliamBotchway):

My Pick for Tonight's Game: TEXANS (+2) over Colts.
— William Botchway (@WilliamBotchway) October 10, 2014

I was wrong about two things. First, I obviously got the pick itself wrong, as the Colts wound up covering the spread in what turned out to be a close Thursday night game (I know, shocker). But there was a huge oversight in that tweet.

I picked the Texans to cover, and not J.J. Watt, which he almost did.

I'm now 2-4 on Thursday night games. Oh well, at least I've been making up for it on Sundays as of late.

UPSET ALERT next to games in which I think the underdog will win outright, not just cover. Home team in CAPS.

Week 5 Preview: Jets at Chargers

Photo courtesy of Fan Duel

OUT
Jets: None

Chargers: OLB Jerry Attaochu (hamstring), RB Ryan Mathews (knee), OL Rich Ohrnberger (back), ILB Manti Te'o (foot), LB Reggie Walker (ankle), CB Shareece Wright (knee)

DOUBTFUL
Jets: None

Chargers: None

QUESTIONABLE
Jets: WR Eric Decker (hamstring), WR David Nelson (ankle)

Chargers: OLB Dwight Freeney (knee), TE David Johnson (shoulder), DT Corey Liuget (concussion)

PROBABLE
Jets: G Willie Colon (knee), T Breno Giacomini (back), DL Damon Harrison (ankle), RB Chris Johnson (ankle), C Nick Mangold (shoulder), CB Dee Milliner (quadriceps), FS Calvin Pryor (quadriceps)

Chargers: ILB Donald Butler (shoulder), TE Ladarius Green (hamstring), OLB Jarret Johnson (shoulder), OLB Cordarro Law (ankle), CB Jason Verrett (hamstring)

NFL Picks: Week 5

Photo courtesy of Fox Sports

Overall, I had a pretty good week with my picks. Not only because I ended up over .500 for the first time this season, but because I didn't make any picks that I can question. The ones that I got wrong were all logical selections at the time.

And this week got off to a rip-roaring start as I made my pick for Thursday night's game on Twitter (@WilliamBotchway) as always:

My pick for tonight's game: PACKERS (-9) over Ponder Power.
— William Botchway (@WilliamBotchway) October 3, 2014

I was right. That puts me at 2-3 on Thursday night games.

UPSET ALERT next to games in which I think the underdog will win outright, not just cover. Home team in CAPS.