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Best and worst clash as Cavs face NetsBasketball Betting Lines03/03/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cleveland Cavaliers will try to sweep the season series from the New Jersey Nets for a second straight year when the two teams collide Wednesday night at the Meadowlands. The Cavs won all three meetings a season ago and the first three matchups in 2009-10, including a 104-97 triumph in the most recent encounter on February 9 at Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland has topped the Nets seven consecutive times and is unbeaten in its last three trips to the IZOD Center. Cleveland has won four in a row overall and recently handed the New York Knicks a 124-93 setback at home on Monday behind 22 points, seven assists and seven rebounds from NBA leading scorer LeBron James. Newcomer Antawn Jamison registered 17 points and 12 rebounds, while J.J. Hickson also scored 17 points for the Central Division-leading Cavs, who are the top team in the NBA and own the league's best record at 47-14. "It was a good win. I thought that after getting up big, we did a nice job of staying focused, coming out in the third quarter and trying to close and finish the game the right way," Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown said. "Give everybody in that locker room credit for trying to string a game together for 48 minutes, even though we were fortunate to get off to a big lead." The top team in the East learned earlier in the day that future Hall of Fame center Shaquille O'Neal is expected to be sidelined for the next eight weeks after undergoing surgery for an injured right thumb. Cleveland will have to make due without Shaq, and has won 12 of its last 16 road games. It is 21-10 as the guest this season. Cavs guard Daniel Gibson (personal) is questionable for Wednesday's game against New Jersey. The Nets failed to build off a huge win at Boston by dropping an 89-85 decision to the Washington Wizards the last time out on Sunday in the opener of a three-game homestand. Yi Jianlian had 20 points and a career-high 19 boards to pace the Nets, who posted a 104-96 victory over the Celtics to snap a four-game slide. Devin Harris had 18 points, 14 assists and seven boards, while Brook Lopez added 16 points and 10 rebounds in defeat. "At the end of the day, they hit a couple of tough shots and we missed a couple of tough ones," Nets coach Kiki Vandeweghe said after the Nets fell to an NBA-worst 6-53 this season. "We missed a couple of free throws. But all in all, I thought we played 40 minutes of pretty good basketball and maybe didn't have the legs to finish it." New Jersey will also host Orlando on the residency and is 3-26 at home. On the injury front, guard Courtney Lee is expected to miss tonight's game because of a sprained left ankle. The Nets are hoping to avoid breaking the NBA mark for futility held by the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers, who went 9-73 that year.
<< Short-handed Sixers visit Hawks
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Atlanta Hawks All-Star Joe Johnson is approaching a career milestone and will most likely reach it tonight versus the Philadelphia 76ers in the opener of a brief two-game homestand at Philips Arena. Johnson leads the Hawks
<< Magic host woeful Warriors
<< Chiefs part ways with WR Darling
<< Safina withdraws from Indian Wells
<< Blues pick up D'Agostini from Habs
Pistons and Knicks meet at MSG >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Pistons are back on the road for two games and will try to stop a four-game slide tonight against the New York Knicks at historic Madison Square Garden. Detroit lost the last three tests of a four-game road swi
Bucks host Wizards in opener of home-and-home set >>
Celtics hope to get back on track vs. Bobcats >>
Suns pay a visit to Clippers >>
Blazers host Pacers in Rose City >>
How did changes to college football betting rules affect bettors?The 2007 college football rules changes that were implemented to shorten games are now history. The NCAA rules committee did what they set out to do; games were cut by an average of 14 minutes per game last season. There were also, on average, 14 fewer plays per game. We’ll get into how that did (or didn’t) affect games in regards to the pointspread a bit later. While the NCAA rules committee may have had the betterment of the game in mind, they'll now “turn back the clock” for next season. Two key rules have now been overturned by the NCAA committee for the 2007 season, something definitely for the better. For those of you who may not remember what those rules actually were, let us refresh your memory. 1) The first one was actually starting the clock on a kickoff as soon as the kicker touched the ball rather than waiting until the returner touched it. The problem here was near the end of the half (or game), if the team leading was kicking off, they could milk the clock by intentionally running offsides and then re-kicking. They could run 10-15 seconds off the clock each play while taking just five-yard penalties each time. They could run the clock down and simply cause the half (or game) to end on a kickoff, keeping the opposing offense off the field. In 2007, the clock will now start when the returner touches the ball as it had before last season. 2) The second rule dealt with starting the clock after a change of online football betting possession rather than waiting until the ball was snapped. This took a lot of time off the clock throughout the game as teams changed possession, however it caused the most problems late in games (or halves). Rather than huddling up and calling a play, the offensive team would have to rush onto the field as the clock started. This was a definite disadvantage to a team that was trying to come from behind late in the game. This year the clock will start on a change of possession, after the ball is snapped. How did those rules affect the college game last year and will it make a difference this year when it comes to the pointspread? We commonly heard two theories when it came to these changes. First, it would affect scoring negatively. Second, it would hurt favorites as they would have less time and fewer plays to cover the number. Did the rules hurt scoring? Yes. It seemed obvious that shortening the game by what amounted to 14 plays would push scoring downward. That was the case last year. Of the 119 Division 1A teams, 69 squads scored fewer points in 2007 than they did in 2005. Just 48 teams had a higher PPG scoring average and two stayed the same. Almost 59 percent of the teams in college football last year had a lower PPG average than they did in 2005. Expect more scoring in 2007 as we revert back to the old rules. Did the rules hinder favorites from covering the number in 2007? Not really. Last year the favorites posted an overall spread record of 336-350-16 (48.9 percent). The year before, favorites were 316-326-13 (49.2 percent). In 2004, the favorites were 316-339-2 (48.2 percent). In fact, college football favorites have been above 50 percent for the season just once in the last seven years (in 2003). Last year’s numbers fell right in line with where they have been historically. How about big favorites? The rules must have hurt them? Maybe a little bit. Double-digit favorites last year came in at a 47.8 percent clip compare with an average of just over 50 percent over the last seven years. Since 1980, favorites of -10 or more have covered at exactly a 50 percent clip (measured over 6,716 games). Even bigger favorites must have struggled? Not really. In fact, it was just the opposite. Favorites of three TD’s or more were 59-54-2 last year (52.2 percent). Since 2000, those same favorites (-21 or higher) hit at 51.3 percent and since 1990 came in a clip of 50.3 percent. Stepping it up a notch to four TD favorites or higher, we actually see they've covered at a much better rate last season than before. Last year, favorites of -28 or more were 31-21-1, or almost 60 percent. Historically, four-TD-or-higher favorites have come in at a 50.7 percent spot since 2000 and only 48.9 percent since 1990. The “perceived” problem with the favorites covering at a reduced rate really never came to fruition. Bottom line is, there might be some more scoring in 2007, but no real revelations when it comes to finding any pointspread golden nuggets. To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on college football needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter JohnsonJUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm. MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season . ''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.'' Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain. He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday. ''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.'' Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia. Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind. With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer. Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.
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