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Bryant reaches 23,000 career points in win over ThunderBasketball Betting Lines02/11/2009 - Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kobe Bryant became the youngest player in league history to reach the 23,000-point plateau, all part of a 34-point, seven-rebound performance, as the Lakers used a workmanlike effort to down hapless Oklahoma City, 105-98. Bryant reached 23,000 points with 5:13 left in the second quarter, becoming the youngest player to reach the mark by five days over Wilt Chamberlain. In Chamberlain's defense, he played four years at Kansas while Bryant jumped to the NBA right out of high school. Pau Gasol added 22 points with 14 rebounds and Lamar Odom added 12 points for the red-hot Lakers, winners in seven straight and 11 of 12. Adam Morrison, acquired in a Saturday trade with Charlotte, did not play. "I'm afraid our guys thought they had done their job they had to do in the first half and came out the second half and didn't play with the same energy and let them back in the ball game," said Lakers coach Phil Jackson. "I thought out play was a little bit sloppy tonight. It wasn't as crisp as it was on the road." Kevin Durant poured in 31 points with 10 boards, Russell Westbrook returned to his stomping grounds (he played collegiately at UCLA) with 17 points, nine rebounds and seven assists and Jeff Green added 16 points and eight boards. The Thunder saw their modest two-game winning streak come to an end. "We had a great effort, but when you play the Lakers it has to be a flawless effort," said coach Scott Brooks. "We gave them too many offensive rebounds. That's something we have to address. We moved the ball well, but that's the best team in basketball." The teams played to a 25-25 tie after one stanza before the Lakers seized control in the second period. After Joe Smith's jumper handed the Thunder a 43-41 lead, the Lakers reeled off 11 points in succession to take a double- digit edge. Bryant's two free throws started the stretch, and Gasol's tip-in off Bryant's missed bank shot gave Los Angeles a 52-43 advantage. Back-to-back inside buckets by Odom and Bryant capped the first-half scoring for a 60-47 lead after 24 minutes of action. New Orleans rallied to pull within 78-73 late in the third stanza on successive Durant baskets on the fastbreak, and Los Angeles added a bucket to extend its lead after three quarters. Durant willed the Thunder back into the contest late, as the lanky scoring machine drained two free throws after attacking the rim then buried a jumper for a 101-93 deficit with 2:13 to go. Odom rimmed out a three on the other end, and New Orleans had a chance to make it a two-possession game. Durant drew multiple defenders and dished the basketball to an open Kyle Weaver, but he misfired from long distance. Bryant and Durant exchanged a pair of free throws, putting Durant past 30 points for the fifth consecutive game. New Orleans failed to score on back-to- back possessions, committing a pair of costly turnovers to loss its chance at a comeback. Game Notes The Lakers improved to 24-4 at home, while the Thunder dropped to a measly 3-21 away from New Orleans...Los Angeles shot 45.5 percent from the floor, but made just 5-of-20 three-pointers...Jordan Farmar scored nine points with five assists for the Lakers...Weaver donated 11 points in defeat.
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Betting FootballNFL Football Betting OnlineIs there such a thing as a trap game in the NFL? I once asked that question to Pete Korner, who at the time was office manager and a senior linesmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants. Korner almost ripped my head off. There is no such thing as a trap game, he loudly berated me. It’s a myth. The numbers are made using power ratings, he said. There are trap games, though. They just might not be what you think. The perception is of a good team, say Philadelphia, laying a small number against New Orleans. Using the highly-respected power ranking from The Gold Sheet, you’d find the Eagles with a power rating of 4 and the Saints at 8. When you factor the game being played in New Orleans, you could see why the line opened so short at less than a field goal. For some, this makes it enticing to take the Eagles. That’s not a real trap game, though. A real trap game, says professional gambler Dave Malinsky, is thinking you’re getting value betting a bad team, which brings us to the Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos matchup. The Raiders are +15 in this long-standing division rivalry. Denver is on a short week having dispatched Baltimore Monday. However, the Raiders haven’t covered the spread their last 10 games. Many bettors don’t trust the Raiders to give a full effort. Few think much of Art Shell and his Oakland’s coaching staff. So oddsmakers have to do something to make Oakland attractive if they hope to get equal action. Now Malinsky is a value shopper. But he won’t touch the Raiders even getting more than two touchdowns. “I try to eliminate the undisciplined, unfocused teams because they’re the ones most likely to suffer the bad beats,” he said. Near the top of Malinsky’s list of stay-away teams is the Miami Dolphins, who have yet to cover a spread this season. “Whatever you think of Nick Saban, you have to look at the penalties and turnovers,” Malinsky said. It’s easy to point out the Dolphins failed to get the money this past week against New England because Olindo Mare missed a field goal and had another field goal blocked. But even though the Dolphins outgained the Patriots, 283-213, they committed eight penalties. Bad teams not only cost themselves victories, but pointspread covers as well. The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers are two more examples. The Cardinals couldn’t have been in a better position this past Sunday, up 14-0 at home against a mediocre Kansas City Chiefs squad. But they couldn’t hold it. The Packers got a push against St. Louis, but also could have won losing by three when Brett Favre fumbled at the St. Louis 11-yard line with 44 seconds left. “The Packers were in a position to beat Philadelphia, too,” Malinsky said. “But they couldn’t even cover double digits. “These teams just make mistakes and it costs you … they always will look good from a value standpoint. They really will. But that’s the trap.” Houston and Tennessee rank among the six-worst teams. Malinsky wouldn’t be afraid to take either of these teams, however, if the price were high enough. The Texans are bad, Malinsky said, but they have some discipline. The Titans showed they could not only come up with an outstanding game plan, but execute it as well, losing by one to the Colts on the road as an 18 ?-point underdog this past Sunday. “Jeff Fisher is a worker,” Malinsky said of the Titans coach. “I’m not sure how hard Art Shell wants to work when he gets out of bed.” Fisher, though, could be out as Tennessee coach after this season. Is he still worth backing in the right spot, with the right price, as a lame duck coach? “It’s in his nature to keep working hard and not worry about any possible lame duck status,” Malinsky said. “He’s coaching for his resume.” Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines. |
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