 |
 Basketball Betting |
 |
||||
|
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bobcats continue push towards postseason, host ClippersBasketball Betting Lines03/12/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Charlotte Bobcats aim to maintain their recent winning ways and further solidify their postseason hopes in tonight's clash with a Los Angeles Clippers team that'll be seeking to end a five-game slide when it pays a visit to Time Warner Cable Arena. Charlotte has never reached the playoffs or had a winning season since entering the NBA in 2004-05, but a current stretch of four straight victories has put the club at 32-31 and into a tie with Toronto and Miami for sixth place in the Eastern Conference. Three of those wins have come at home, where the Bobcats have amassed an excellent 23-8 record this season. The team's latest win occurred on the road, however, a 102-87 triumph over sagging Philadelphia on Wednesday. Charlotte built a comfortable 62-44 lead at intermission and was up by as much as 29 points in the second half. "I didn't love our finish, but [the 76ers] had a lot to do with it," head coach Larry Brown told the Bobcats' official site afterward. "But all-in-all, on a back-to-back [set of games] and how we've struggled on the road, this was a big win for us." Gerald Wallace led six Charlotte scorers in double figures with 28 points on 9-of-10 shooting, with Stephen Jackson amassing 24 points and 10 rebounds on the evening. The Bobcats will be trying to win five in a row for the first time since a six-game tear from January 9-20. They've taken four of their last five meetings with the Clippers, although Los Angeles' only victory during that span was a 98-94 decision at the Staples Center on February 22. The Clippers have gone just 2-7 since that game, however, and had their present skid extended with Wednesday's 108-97 defeat at Miami. The loss kept Los Angeles winless on a five-game road trip that concludes Saturday in San Antonio. Rasual Butler poured in 31 points for the Clippers and knocked down back-to- back three-pointers that brought his team within 75-70 midway through the third quarter. However, the Heat countered with a 15-2 run to extend the margin back to double digits, and Los Angeles never got closer than nine points down the rest of the way. "[The Heat] came out and shot the ball really well," Clippers head coach Kim Hughes said. "We missed a ton of layups and struggled with easy looks." Los Angeles, now 7-26 on the road this season and losers of eight straight as the visitor, received 16 points from Chris Kaman and 12 out of Steve Blake in Wednesday's setback. The Clippers haven't prevailed in an enemy arena since a 90-82 win over Chicago on February 2.
<< Celtics try to stop skid in home tilt with Pacers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Celtics will be attempting to avoid a third straight loss when the Atlantic Division leaders host the road-challenged Indiana Pacers tonight at TD Garden. Boston followed up a two-point setback at red
<< Rangers and Thrashers both try to end slides in Atlanta
<< Playoff-bound Cavs make a stop in south Philly
<< Spurs, Wolves square off in Twin Cities
<< Sabres try to run win streak to four games versus Wild
Sliding Ducks host Predators >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Anaheim Ducks aim for their first win in nearly a month tonight when they host a Nashville Predators club that is struggling to hold onto one of the last playoff spots in the Western Conference. The Ducks have dropped
Bucks, Jazz to square off in battle of surging clubs >>
Stars return home to face Williams and Kings >>
Lakers visit Phoenix for key Pacific showdown >>
Pistons resume homestand with visit from Wizards >>
Numerous College Basketball teams take final big step to March Madness betting So, what turned on the lock spigot? Well, after what felt like weeks of teams treading water and slipping back into the bubble muck, a bunch of them finally decided to say "to heck with parity" and won games that should put them into the Big Dance. Disagree with some of these? Then here's the challenge. Take all of the "should be ins" and make a legit case that each should be ahead of the team that's a lock. Then find 10 more teams that also should be placed in the bracket ahead of that lock team. Not so easy, is it? If you want more evidence that these locks should be good to go, check out what our research department dug up. Since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1985, only six teams from a "big six" conference have had a record of 10-6 or better in conference play and not been selected: Colorado (2004) and Nebraska (1999) from the Big 12, Boston College and Seton Hall (both 2003) from the Big East, Indiana (2005) from the Big Ten and UCLA, which somehow went 12-6 in the Pac-10 in 1988 and still missed out. (Note: Five teams went 11-7 and didn't get in, the latest being last season's Stanford team, which had a brutal nonconference run.) Yes, 10 conference wins doesn't always mean what it used to because of unbalanced schedules, but this season, it should be plenty good in all but the extreme cases (see: Iowa). In a way, this is a welcome development, because this is a bubble watch, not a lock watch. We can finally be done with teams like Maryland and Virginia Tech and start really bearing down on at-large battles such as Syracuse-West Virginia and Appalachian State-Georgia Tech. Interestingly, all the shifting of teams into lock status appears to be more administrative than impactful. The number of remaining available at-larges didn't change one iota. The only difference is that teams on the bubble now have a clearer idea of which team(s) they are competing with for those precious bids.
As always, I've tried to be as inclusive as possible while only including teams that would have a reasonable chance of at least being discussed if this were Selection Sunday. If your team's not on here, there's probably a good reason (or three) -- start with the RPI and SOS numbers and work your way down. (Please remember, per selection committee criteria, that records displayed are Division I only. Next update: Feb. 28) If you have a legitimate grievance, or just like talking bubble, send an e-mail. Polite ones with fact-based arguments have a much better chance of receiving a response. I apologize in advance if I can't get back to all of you. Atlantic Coast Conference Work left to do: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech
Work left to do: Clemson [19-9 (5-9), RPI: 41, SOS: 42] The Tigers are closer to locking up the collapse of the year award (in a good battle with OK State) than they are to grabbing an at-large. Clemson's been very competitive, but there's no really positive way you can spin nine losses in 11 games. They now cannot get to .500 in ACC play and still must head to Virginia Tech in the season finale (after hosting Miami). Unless the Tigers win both and/or do some serious work in the ACC tourney, they very well could be left out. There are no great nonconference wins, but ODU, App State, Miss. State, South Carolina and Georgia are all respectable W's. Florida State [18-11 (6-9), RPI: 48, SOS: 14] The Noles got thrashed at Maryland to run their losing streak to five, but then pounded NC State at home to set the table for what likely is an elimination game at Miami. You can at least make a case for the Seminoles at 7-9 in ACC play (and some work in the ACC tourney), but 6-10 is not going to cut it. Wins at Duke and over Florida will resonate, but the computer numbers remain questionable. Beyond Florida, FSU thrashed bubble buddy Providence, but there's not a ton beyond those two games that will help. They didn't show well in big-time opportunities against Pitt and Wisconsin (before the Florida win). Georgia Tech [18-10 (6-8), RPI: 51, SOS: 46] The Jackets beat Wake on Wednesday but couldn't get it done at UVa on Saturday, which could be a crucial loss with UNC and BC (both at home) remaining and 8-8 almost a certain need for at-large consideration. A nonconference win over Memphis helps, but the RPI and SOS are not at-large quality right now; if you combine those with a sub-.500 ACC mark, that could spell NIT for GT. For more College Basketball betting lines go to MySportsbook.com Additional basketball lines can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.
Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl Odds Will he or won't he? Now that the Dallas Cowboys have a new head coach in Wade Phillips, the big question will be: Does Terrell Owens stay with the team. Jerry Jones continues to suggest that Terrell Owens will remain with the team. "I've said that he's back, he's here, he's under contract," Jones said. "In the interviews I've just been through (to hire a new coach), it was very clear to me how highly he's thought of and how much of an impact he had on our offensive success." Just to be sure though, Terrell Owens cleared out his locker and removed his name plate. Terrell Owens was among the Cowboys most productive players this past season, catching 85 passes for 1,180 yards and a league-best 13 touchdowns. But T.O. is due a $3 million roster bonus in June, then a $5 million salary this season. Cutting him before then would save a lot of money and headaches. Aside from the questions surrounding Terrell Owens, the oddsmakers at MySportsbook.com have concerns over starting quarterback Tony Romo's state of mind and whether he will remain a starting quarterback. It is also not known how players will adjust to new head coach, Wade Phillips. Here are the football odds as seen at MySportsbook.com and subject to change after February 10, 2007 if not locked in prior to that date. To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook credit cards needs. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
