With no football games, it’s hard to gamble, so, thankfully, we can throw our money away on NBA games that can really go either way. But it’s entertaining, right? And, in short, that’s the main reason we gamble. We don’t do it to win or lose — we do it because it takes an otherwise boring chunk of the night and becomes very, very entertaining, even if the entertainment is accompanied with many hours of grief afterwards. Enjoy my picks. I’m the best.

Last night: 2-4
On the season: 4-4-1

Tonight’s games:

Orlando @ Washington (-1): Magic played last night. Wiz didn’t. It’s never a good sign for the team that plays back-top-back, and even without Agent Zero, Wizards are pretty solid.

Cleveland (-2) @ New York: Would you bet on the Knicks? Exactly

Miami @ Toronto (-1.5): Even without Bosh, you have to think they can beat the Heat at home. Miami isn’t big inside, so Toronto should matchup okay.

Boston (-4) @ Detroit: Betting this game will be tough. But I won’t take another team that’s not Boston when the game’s in Boston.

Indiana (+12) @ Houston: No Yao Ming. Too many points. Streaks are bound to break, and Houston’s on a big one. I won’t say upset, but I will bet them to cover the 12. Take Indy.

Phoenix (+6) @ Denver: WAY too many points. When did Melo and AI become something to fear? They’re still sitting ninth in the West, and even with Shaq, I can’t see the Suns losing this one by more than five.