12/21/24
October 20, 2019
Enter SportsFilter's NBA Pick 'Em Contest: The NBA season tips off Tuesday night, which means the return of the SportsFilter Pace Mannion NBA Pick 'Em for a fifth year. The rules remain the same: Choose the winners of each game and the margin of victory. Make any game a slam dunk to double your points in victory or lose points in defeat. The champion wins an official NBA game ball (details inside).
How This WorksSportsFilter is running a season-long NBA Pick 'Em contest and awarding a prize to the season's winner: an official NBA game ball ($109 value).
To play, pick who you think will win and by how many points. You then get points based on the result:
Picked the winner? You get 5 points
Picked the winner and a spread within the margin of error? You get 3 more points
Picked the winner and the exact spread? You get 2 more points
What's the Margin of Error?
A window around the spread that's defined as the following:
spread - round(0.3 * spread) <= Margin of Error <= spread + round(0.3 * spread)
You get rewarded for being close to the spread. The bigger the spread, the bigger the margin of error, so you don't have to be as accurate predicting a blowout as a close game.
Examples:
| Actual Spread | Margin Starts at | Margin Ends at |
| 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | 3 | 5 |
| 7 | 5 | 9 |
| 11 | 8 | 14 |
| 20 | 14 | 26 |
| Outcome | Your score |
| Miami by 20 | 8 points (winner + spread within MoE) |
| Miami by 10 | 5 points (winner only) |
| Miami by 15 | 10 points (winner + nailed spread) |
| Miami by 5 | 0 points |
Slam Dunks
You can choose any game as a slam dunk. This doubles the points you win for that game, but if that team doesn't win, you lose 10 points (even if you get the spread). You can make as many picks a slam dunk as you like or pick no dunks at all.
The Small Print
In order to receive the prize, you must respond to our email within 14 days of the winner announcement. Make sure you have a valid email address on SportsFilter or contact me within that time period. The prize does not include international shipping, so in that situation you can pay the cost or receive an equivalent cash prize over Paypal.
Hall of Champions
2015-16: Howard_T
2016-17: Ufez Jones
2017-18: NoMich
2018-19: rcade
This Week's Games 1
New Orleans at Toronto on TNT (Tuesday)
L.A. Lakers at L.A. Clippers on TNT (Tuesday)
Boston at Philadelphia on ESPN (Wednesday)
Denver at Portland on ESPN (Wednesday)
Milwaukee at Houston on TNT (Thursday)
L.A. Clippers at Golden State on TNT (Thursday)
Dallas at New Orleans on ESPN (Friday)
Utah at L.A. Lakers on ESPN (Friday)
Teams playing more than once: New Orleans, L.A. Clippers, L.A. Lakers.
Picks must be submitted in this discussion before the game's tipoff. So if you miss Tuesday games you can still choose the games for the rest of the week.
posted by rcade to basketball at 07:27 PM - 11 comments
The fun starts in earnest Tuesday night. We aren't playing Chinese Checkers here (I think that might be the name of the Chinese National Ice Hockey team). Looking forward to another great season.
Tuesday, October 22:
"Glorious things of thee are spoken, Zion, City of our God" (hymn by John Newton, also the author of Amazing Grace). His glory will be dulled by Raptors. Toronto by 11
The battle for LA starts now. Lakers by 7
Wednesday, October 23:
I'm pulling for the Green, but 76ers might have a bit too much. Philadelphia by 10
These 2 will fight it out for playoff seeding all year. Portland by5
Thursday, October 24:
I'm flying to Houston on Thursday, but for the Vergers Conference not the game. Milwaukee by 13
Clippers are thrown into the fire early. Call a Doc.Los Angeles by 7
A remarkable bird is the Pelican, its beak holds more than its belly can (Ogden Nash) New Orleans by 14
Lakers off to a fast start. Los Angeles by 15
No LOCKS this early. We have to get an idea of who jells and who has issues.
posted by Howard_T at 05:51 PM on October 21, 2019
Thanks for doing these, as always, rcade.
New Orleans at Toronto (Tuesday): Toronto by eight *slam dunk*
L.A. Lakers at L.A. Clippers (Tuesday): Clippers by seven *slam dunk*
Boston at Philadelphia (Wednesday): Philly by five
Denver at Portland (Wednesday): Portland by 10
Milwaukee at Houston (Thursday): Milwaukee by eight
L.A. Clippers at Golden State (Thursday): Clippers by four
Dallas at New Orleans (Friday): Dallas by six
Utah at L.A. Lakers (Friday): Utah by seven
posted by Goyoucolts at 10:16 PM on October 21, 2019
Tuesday
Toronto by 5 SLAM
LA Lakers by 4
Wednesday
Phil by 5 SLAM
Port by 2
Thursday
Houston by 2 SLAM
Golden State by 2
Friday
New Orleans by 3 SLAM
LA Lakers by 2
posted by scooby10672 at 05:02 PM on October 22, 2019
Tuesday
Toronto by 8
L.A. Clippers by 7
posted by rcade at 05:22 PM on October 22, 2019
Tuesday:
Toronto by 14
Lakers by 8
Wednesday:
Philly by 8
Denver by 6
posted by Ufez Jones at 05:28 PM on October 22, 2019
TUESDAY
Toronto by 6
L.A. Lakers by 5
WEDNESDAY
Philadelphia by 6
Portland by 7
THURSDAY
Houston by 5
Golden State by 7
FRIDAY
New Orleans by 6
L.A. Lakers by 6
posted by NoMich at 05:33 PM on October 22, 2019
Toronto by 8
It's a pretty good sign to hit the exact score of the pick 'em opener.
Toronto by eight *slam dunk*
And here's a better one.
posted by rcade at 07:51 AM on October 23, 2019
That's it, I've officially peaked for the season!
posted by Goyoucolts at 09:20 AM on October 23, 2019
Wednesday
Philadelphia by 9
Denver by 4
Thursday
Milwaukee by 4
Golden State by 6
Friday
Dallas by 6
L.A. Lakers by 4
posted by rcade at 06:07 PM on October 23, 2019
Thursday:
Bucks by 6
Clippers by 11
Friday:
Mavericks by 12
Jazz by 8
posted by Ufez Jones at 02:43 PM on October 24, 2019
Four seasons and four champions! Pete Rozelle would be proud.