The Juggernaut Packers, Realistic Clippers Punishments, and Week 2 NFL Picks With Joe House, Jason Concepcion, and Chris Ryan

What It Covers

Bill Simmons analyzes the Packers' dominant Thursday night victory over Washington, discusses the Steve Ballmer-Kawhi Leonard compensation scandal investigation with detailed reporting from multiple sources, and provides comprehensive NFL Week 2 betting picks after going one-and-four in Week 1.

Key Questions Answered

• •Green Bay Championship Case: The Packers demonstrate juggernaut potential at nine-to-one MVP odds for Jordan Love, with a favorable schedule through Week 10 that could see them undefeated heading into their Eagles matchup, controlling both lines of scrimmage like championship-caliber teams historically do.
• •NBA Circumvention Investigation: The Ballmer-Kawhi situation involves $48 million in suspicious payments through Aspiration company coinciding with contract timing, with minority owner Dennis Wong funneling $2 million as Kawhi received similar amounts, creating enough circumstantial evidence to warrant serious league investigation despite no smoking gun document.
• •Potential NBA Punishments: Historical precedent suggests Ballmer could face forced sale like Donald Sterling, though more likely outcomes include multi-year banishment from team facilities and loss of multiple first-round picks, with the investigation potentially extending into next spring per league sources.
• •Week 2 Betting Value: Patriots plus-1.5 against Miami represents strong value given the Dolphins' poorly-coached secondary performance, Miami's organizational chaos, and New England's improved speed on offense with Gonzalez returning at left tackle, making them competitive against AFC's weakest team.
• •Divisional Coaching Advantage: Bears offensive coordinator Ben Johnson possesses intimate knowledge of Detroit's defensive schemes and weaknesses from years coaching there, making the six-and-a-half point spread excessive for a divisional matchup where the underdog historically covers seventy-plus percent after both teams lost Week 1.