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: 2-1
On the Season: 43-41-1

Tonight’s Games:

Charlotte Bobcats (+11) @ Toronto Raptors: Picking Charlotte doesn’t mean by any stretch of the imagination that I’m picking a winner. But the Raptors have struggled, and 11 points seems a bit high. Raptors win, ‘Cats cover.

Philadelphia 76′ers (+2) @ Atlanta Hawks: I hope the Hawks win. I always do when I make these picks. But they’ve beaten up on bad teams, they’ve won five straight, and when you’re an Atlanta fan, you know five straight is about three too many. The streak ends. Points are nice, but Sixers in an upset.

New York Knicks @ New Orleans Hornets (-15.5): It’s been a while since I’ve seen a spread this high and taken it. But we’ve all seen the Knicks, which should be enough said.

New Jersey Nets (+10) @ Detroit Pistons: Take the points.

Dallas Mavericks (+6) @ LA Lakers: Every time these two teams play, the game is close. Look for another OT thriller. Mavs win.