I am a huge sports fan. Kobe Bryant scored 81 points last night, the second most in history!! Eighty bleepin' one. Let that sink in for a minute. You can expect more commentary on that later in the week. This is my daily blog for the inner gambler in all of you. I was on my way to a Kobe like performance before a I fell off just a bit late in the day. After starting 4-0 on NBA games I finished with just a 5-3 record. There were nine games in total, but the Lakers are my favorite team and generally I elect not to bet on my favorite team one way or the other. On Saturday when I revealed my NFL playoff picks I said football was my specialty. I did not disappoint, picking both the Steelers and Seattle. I also give a daily bonus pick. Yesterday it was North Carolina in NCAA basketball. My Sunday record on all bets was 8-3. Not bad. Here's what's on the NBA docket for today:

ATLANTA(+6) over indiana (oy vey; very hard to ever bet on the Hawks)
BOSTON(-4) over the hornets
houston(+5) over MILWAUKEE
DENVER(-8.5) over toronto
new jersey(pk) over UTAH
clippers(+5) over GOLDEN STATE

3 for 3 ON BONUS PICKS
1/20 south florida(+8.5) over SETON HALL
**result: Seton Hall 94 So Fla 89 OT
1/21 uconn(-6) over LOUISVILLE
**result: Uconn 71 Louisville 58
1/22 north carolina(+2.5) over FLORIDA STATE
**result: Unc 81 Fla State 80

Today Bonus Pick:
gonzaga(-9) over SAN FRANCISCO

***HOME TEAMS in CAPS***