The semifinals are set for the NBA HORSE Tournament. We’ve already previewed the old school vs new schoolChauncey Billups vs Mike Conley Jr matchup and now we move on to the NBA vs WNBA edition featuring the Chicago Bulls Zach LaVine vs the Chicago Sky Allie Quigley game. Will Quigley pull off another upset after dismissing NBA Players Union prez Chris Paul? Or will LaVine spoil the story?
Chicago Bulls’ Zach LaVine started off hot in the first round against Paul Pierce, hitting all of his shots to give himself the early lead. But for an exciting playing in the league, his HORSE performance was extremely uninspiring, and in one instance he just did the most basic layup possible. Still, his plan was effective – so much so that he shutout Pierce. The final dagger was from deep from the outside with a baseline shot from the dirt (he’s in the middle of landscaping, it seems). Pierce couldn’t answer from his more lush home court, and was the only player to play without giving his opponent a single letter. LaVine is a solid favorite at -200 to win his semifinal against Allie Quigley and is also the favorite to win the entire tournament with a current price of +120.
WNBA star Allie Quigley has a disadvantage compared to the other competitors – she is playing from a run of the mill carport basketball hoop versus the higher-paid NBA crew who boast expensive regulation set-ups. But the hometown vibe made her game against Chris Paul the most entertaining (a loose term) of the four first round games. Allie systematically chipped away at CP3 until he arrived at H.O.R.S.E to her H.O.R. for the win. Quigley is limited by square footage so she won’t be able to take liberties from “beyond the arc” and such, but if she sticks to the fundamentals that she is so proficient at she can shake Zach LaVine.
Allie Quigley has the worst odds to win the entire tournament, priced at +450, but don’t count her out to go all the way.
Writer’s Prediction
We rolled with Quigley for the upset in the first round and we’re backing her again in the semifinals. Allie beats Zach in a hard fought battle the ends in a final “score” of H.O.R.S.E to H.O.R.S. in favor of the WBNA star.
