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Jazz, Lakers kick off Western semis at Staples CenterBasketball Betting Lines05/02/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It's rare that an NBA team breathes a sigh of relief when they move on in the postseason to face a club that, on paper, should be a tougher matchup. The defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, however, are likely thrilled to have the upstart Oklahoma City Thunder in the rear view mirror as they get ready to battle the playoff-tested Utah Jazz in the Western Conference semifinals. The young and talented Thunder gave LA fits in the opening round but Pau Gasol's putback off a Kobe Bryant miss with half a second remaining in Game 6, lifted the Lakers into the second round with a 95-94 win in Oklahoma City. The Lakers had blown a seven-point lead with 4 1/2 minutes left, but then came back from a three-point deficit to take the series. "There's still a ways to go for this team to really rally together, to have the one-minded effort that I like to call it," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "I thought we got out of sync in the second half. Fortunately we won this game. It's something I will really talk to them about." The Thunder had already won twice on their home court and nearly a third time against the defending champs, but Gasol, with his dominant inside play, pushed the Lakers into round two against Utah. "I had a good look, but it just didn't go down for me," Bryant said. "Pau just kept playing. He's done that numerous times. Obviously, it saved the game for us." The Jazz, meanwhile, finished off Northwest Division rival Denver in six games Friday night despite being without two starters, Mehmet Okur and Andrei Kirilenko, for the majority of the set. Foul trouble and injuries played a significant role in the series-clinching victory for Utah, a game in which rookie Wesley Matthews stepped up and scored 23 points for the Jazz. "I'm terribly excited about the way these guys played, the effort they put in to win a ball game," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. "We started off this series and were in tough position because we lost two guys (Okur and Kirilenko) who couldn't play. But the guys came in and played in their place and I thought did a terrific job." Utah point guard Deron Williams, who was the star of the series, bruised his left elbow in the closing seconds of the clincher when he went down after a collision with Denver forward Chris Andersen. The All-Star is expected to be able to go against the Lakers when the series starts in LA on Sunday. "I'll be alright," Williams said. Kirilenko, who missed 15 of the Jazz's final 17 regular season games and the entire Denver series with a host of calf injuries, has been rehabbing and is getting closer but was listed as doubtful for Game 1. "I'm feeling better and better," Kirilenko told the Salt Lake City News. "[My] endurance is getting better. I can survive way more time on the floor without getting my calf tired, so I feel like it's going in the right direction, better and better." Okur, meanwhile, is done for the entire postseason after suffering a ruptured left Achilles' in Game 1 vs. the Nuggets. For the Lakers, oft-injured center Andrew Bynum is questionable for Game 1 after an MRI exam Saturday revealed a small tear in the anterior horn of the lateral meniscus. Bynum, who averaged 12.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks during LA's first-round win over Oklahoma City, aggravated the injury with a hyperextension of the knee during Game 6 and experienced a similar setback last June, but played through it. The Lakers beat the Jazz in three of the four meetings during this regular season. It will be the third straight year the teams will meet in the playoffs. The Lakers beat Utah in five games in the first round last year and in 2008, LA prevailed in six games in the conference semifinals. "Obviously, we've had a lot of trouble with the Lakers, everybody knows that," Sloan said. "They're big and long and we're not very big and long when it's all said and done. But you come and play and do the best you can." The Jazz will trying to avoid becoming the 14th team in NBA history to be eliminated by the same team in three consecutive playoffs. To do that, Utah will have to find a way to win at Staples Center. The Jazz have dropped 14 consecutive games to the Lakers in Hollywood, including all six in the 2008 and 2009 playoffs. "We're a much better team than what we were," Utah forward Paul Millsap said. "We look forward to it being different this time, a different outcome." Game 2 of the series is scheduled for Tuesday in Los Angeles.
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SPORTS BETTINGNFL Football Betting OnlineIn terms of sports wagering, the NFL is "the most popular game in town." The explanation behind that is easy. In sportsbooks, this is usually done with efficiency by charging the losing bettors 10% extra - in effect, bettors are laying 11/10 on those games. So they are actually betting $110 to win $100. If they lose, they pay the "vig." If they win, they simply collect. Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting odds .
COLLEGE FOOTBALL BETTINGNCAA Football BettingMany fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.) "To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good." Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida. Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October. USC Trojans - 10.5 wins A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention. Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2 "There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach." Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1 The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines. Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1 If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J. Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines . |
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