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Blazers seek fifth straight win with matchup vs. WizardsBasketball Betting Lines03/19/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Portland Trail Blazers continue their push to the postseason Friday when they welcome the woeful Washington Wizards to the Rose Garden. The Blazers won their fourth straight game last Sunday against Toronto when Nicolas Batum made 5-of-6 from three-point land, en route to 22 points, leading Portland to a 109-98 win over the Raptors. LaMarcus Aldridge also provided 22 points to go with 12 rebounds and Brandon Roy scored 20 for the Trail Blazers, who have won seven of eight overall and are 3-0 on their current four-game homestand. Andre Miller had another solid all-around game with 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists for the victors. "I think we're just finding our rhythm," Aldridge said. "We've had the same guys in the lineup for a few games. Now we're getting used to having guys in the lineup." Portland currently holds the eighth and final playoff spot in the jumbled Western Conference but is a comfortable 4 1/2 games ahead of ninth-place Houston and just 1 1/2 behind No. 5 Oklahoma City. The Wizards, meanwhile, lost their ninth straight game and fell to 0-2 on a four-game road trip Tuesday in Denver when Carmelo Anthony scored 29 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, as the Nuggets battled back to upend Washington, 97-87. Despite spraining his left ankle, Andray Blatche paced Washington with 23 points and eight boards for the Wizards, who are a miserable 9-23 on the road. Al Thornton scored 16 points, but fouled out in defeat, while Alonzo Gee added career highs of 13 points and 10 boards for the struggling Wizards. "We have to stay positive and try to get the next win," Blatche said. Blatche, who is averaging 24.4 points in 16 games since becoming the focus of the team after Antawn Jamison was traded to Cleveland, will be a game-time decision tonight. The Blazers have won four straight over Washington at the Rose Garden, but came up on the short end of a 97-92 score against the Wizards in the nation's capital back in January. However, both Roy and Batum missed that game with injuries.
<< Jazz, Suns jockey for playoff position at Phoenix
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A pair of Western Conference contenders jockey for playoff position in the desert Friday when the Phoenix Suns play host to the Utah Jazz. Utah is currently the fourth seed in the West, two games ahead of the Suns
<< Wofford and Wisconsin square off in first round of NCAA Tournament
<< Spartans square off with Aggies in Midwest Region's first round
<< Buckeyes battle Gauchos in first-round action in Milwaukee
<< Utah State and Texas A&M meet in South Regional action
Lakers aim to continue mastery of Timberwolves >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Best meets worst in the Western Conference Friday as the defending NBA champion Los Angles Lakers aim for their 10th straight win over the hapless Minnesota Timberwolves. The Lakers won their fourth straight game o
Bucks try to get back on track in Sacramento >>
Roberts out at St. John's >>
Wild aim to get back on track versus Blue Jackets >>
Flames resume postseason push against struggling Sharks >>
Football Betting: Defensive Rookie of the Year AwardsOddsmakers have released the odds for the 2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award and Seattle Seahawks linebacker Aaron Curry has been made the opening favorite. Seattle took Curry with the fourth overall pick in April's NFL draft and plan on inserting him into its starting lineup right away. The Hawks traded linebacker Julian Peterson in the offseason, so Curry is expected to have a significant role in Seattle's defense next year and that's one of the primary reasons he is the favorite to win the NFL ROY Award. Oddsmakers from online sportsbook MySportsbook.com have made Curry a 5/1 favorite to win this year's NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. Given that he was the best defensive prospect in this year's draft and how he'll have plenty of opportunities to make plays in '09, Curry offers a ton of value at 5/1. Another thing working for Curry is the position he plays. A linebacker has won the defensive ROY award six straight times and eight of the last nine years. Jerod Mayo, Patrick Willis, DeMeco Ryans, Shawne Merriman, Jonathan Vilma, Terrell Suggs, Kendrell Bell and Brian Urlacher were the most recent linebackers to take home the award. Following Curry at 5/1 are Tyson Jackson (Chiefs) at 7/1, James Laurinaitas (Rams) at 8/1, Brian Orakpo (Redskins) at 10/1, Rey Maualuga (Bengals) at 10/1 and Jerry Peria (Falcons) at 10/1. All the players mentioned above are expected to start for their respective teams, but Jackson and Peria are going to have a tough time being recognized on a national level given they're both defensive linemen. D-linemen rarely put up the numbers that it takes to win an individual award like the ROY. A couple of players with some value are Clay Matthews (Packers) at 12/1 and Larry English (Chargers) at 15/1. Matthews is expected to start at outside linebacker in Green Bay's new 3-4 defense and could rack up a ton of tackles. English, who was an impressive player at Northern Illinois, is expected to be a situational pass rusher for the Chargers and could rack up a ton of sacks. For complete odds on the 2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award, see below. And for complete odds for the 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, click the link provided. 2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award Robert Ayers (DEN) 12/1 Ron Brace (NE) 25/1 Everette Brown (CAR) 16/1 Darius Butler (NE) 40/1 Patrick Chung (NE) 30/1 Aaron Curry (SEA) 5/1 Brian Cushing (HOU) 12/1 Vontae Davis (MIA) 30/1 Louis Delmas (DET) 30/1 Larry English (SD) 15/1 Evander Hood (PIT) 25/1 Tyson Jackson (KC) 7/1 Malcolm Jenkins (NO) 25/1 Paul Kruger (BAL) 50/1 James Laurinaitas (STL) 8/1 Sen'Derrick Marks (TEN) 20/1 Clay Matthews (GB) 12/1 Aaron Maybin (BUF) 15/1 Rey Maualuga (CIN) 10/1 Roy Miller (TB) 20/1 Michael Mitchell (OAK) 45/1 Fili Moala (IND) 30/1 Brian Orakpo (WAS) 10/1 Jerry Peria (ATL) 10/1 B J Raji (GB) 7/1 Clint Sintim (NYG) 35/1 Alphonso Smith (DEN) 40/1 David Verkune (CLE) 20/1 Jason Williams (DAL) 30/1 Field (Any Other Player) 6/1 To visit this internet sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs.
Betting the NFL preseasonRule No. 1 in the gamblers' handbook states, "Avoid sports betting on meaningless games." When you're drowning in a sea of baseball monotony, however, things change. Even a hint of pro football betting can persuade the most disciplined bettor to break a few rules. The NFL preseason is around the corner, with a tempting Hall of Fame match kicking off on Sunday. But bettors must stay vigilant. Wagering on NFL exhibition games is an entirely different beast than the regular season. Most fans don't recognize the players on the field because starters get as much action in August as Warcraft fans get on Prom night. The only certainty about the NFL this time of year is uncertainty – and yet there are some who say betting in August can be a gold mine. “I actually feel the NFL preseason presents solid profit opportunities for sharp bettors and handicappers,” Sports Expert Steve Merril explains. “My experience has been that the sportsbooks fear the preseason, which is evident by lower limits and massive moves.” The line moves are attributed to the limited knowledge available regarding playing-time distribution. One team’s top unit out on the field for one more series has an impact on the pointspread. Setting lines in the preseason often is a shot in the dark. “We base the betting lines mostly on public perception,” Pete Korner, founder of the Sports Club in Las Vegas, says. “It’s very tough to predict, almost a guessing game.” The preseason is all about figuring out who’s in and for how long. “It becomes a race between bettors and oddsmakers to find out how long the quarterbacks are going to stay in,” Korner admits. “If a sharp gets the information first, he could exploit an early line. I’m a full believer in moving the line in the preseason if the books find out something late in the week.” Determining what each team’s motive is can help bettors handicap. To do this you must pay close attention to the philosophies head coaches employ in exhibition play. “You need to know what a coach is trying to accomplish,” says Covers Expert Bryan Leonard. “Sometimes a new coach will want to instill a winning attitude. Others just want to make sure their starters don’t get hurt." So how do you distinguish who’s playing scared and who’s playing for keeps? “Head coaches on the hot seat or new coaches trying to implement a winning attitude usually try harder to win in the preseason,” Merril says. Cleveland Browns head coach Romeo Crennel fits this criteria. He’s entering his third season as the sideline boss and has yet to lead the Browns to more than six wins. Cleveland is an enticing bet as well because of the unresolved quarterback situation. General manager Phil Savage sacrificed the Browns’ first-round pick in next year’s draft for Brady Quinn, but the former Notre Dame quarterback hasn’t signed or reported to training camp yet. Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson split time at QB last season and it looks like either player (or even Quinn) could be the opening-day starter. “If a team has quarterback depth and the pecking order hasn’t been decided, it’s a big advantage,” Leonard says. Even in the third week of the preseason when starters generally play the most, the final outcome of the game is in the hands of fringe players. A team's talent, all the way down to the last man on the roster, is something to consider. The New England Patriots have long been considered one of the deeper teams in the NFL and coach Bill Belichick has said in the past he’s unafraid of stars getting hurt in games with nothing on the line. He shocked his colleagues in 2003 by playing some of his starters on special teams in the preseason. “We want to have the team ready to play a tough, physical game and preparation has to go into that and I imagine a certain amount of injuries go with it,” Belichick told the Providence Journal in August 2003. Bettors can only hope to find more teams that share the Pats' business-like approach to the preseason (New England is 17-9-3 against the spread since 2000) and take advantage of teams who detest the exhibition schedule. To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on football needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards. |
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