NBA Betting – Boston Celtics Value

The demise of the Boston Celtics has been written over and over this NBA betting offseason. It seems many are giving the Miami Heat the best basketball odds to reach the NBA finals. Did we miss something here? Aren’t the Celts bringing back, essentially, the same team that was a few points away from winning the title?

Boston has been called aging and finished by the critics for a couple of years now. Still, their veteran stars continue to perform at a high level. NBA odds are starting to skew towards the Heat and all of their new acquisitions. However, basketball bettors at Sports Betting shouldn’t overlook the Celtics.

Boston had a very quiet offseason. They re-signed both Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, two of their key veterans. Boston also managed to replace the retired Rasheed Wallace with Shaquille O’Neal. In Shaq, Boston loses some of the outside shooting ability that Wallace brought, but they now have less of a risk of technical fouls and they upgrade their rebounding ability. Boston was terribly outrebounded versus the Lakers in the final postseason game last year and knew they needed to correct that element.

Meanwhile, point guard Rajon Rondo continues to emerge for the Celtics. Each year, he becomes more critical to the Celtics success and his game becomes more well-rounded. If he can develop a reliable outside jump shot, Boston should be able to match up with anyone in the league, and yes, that includes the Miami Heat.

Right now the Celtics are a 10-1 shot to win the NBA title at the sportsbook. Now is the perfect chance to get in on those favorable future odds. With Miami and the Lakers listed as 6-4 co-favorites to win it all, the respect for Boston has waned considerably. Look for this experienced team to use this as motivation in their quest to get back to the finals and finish what they couldn’t this past June.

NBA Odds: Future Betting “Heats” Up

With a tip of the hat to Dennis Green…”don’t crown their asses just yet”.

We speak of the Miami Heat of course, as fans, commentators and of course, the sports betting public have been weighing in with their thoughts on the 2010-11 NBA Championship since the Lebron decided to “take his talents” to South Beach. Joining him down there is, of course, Chris Bosh and with D-Wade re-signing Miami has become the center of the NBA universe for the time being.

The big question is can they close the deal?

After the big announcement, online sportsbook Sportsbetting.com had the Heat listed as the odds-on favorite to take next season’s NBA title with odds of at +175. Sportsbook manager Brian Taylor said, “not surprisingly, we’ve seen more interest in our NBA Future betting options than any other off-season I can remember. And also not surprisingly, the Miami Heat are seeing lots of the volume, but we are seeing a reasonable amount of money coming in on the Orlando Magic in the East and the LA Lakers”

But until Miami actually wins a fourth game in the 2011 NBA Final, Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers are the defending NBA champions.

Though a Lakers and Heat matchup in the next NBA Final is far from certain (despite what will undoubtedly be obsessive meddling by David Stern and co.), LA got an early punch in against Miami.

The Heat were said to be heavily courting Derek Fisher but the guard decided against joining LeBron, Bosh and Wade and opted to re-sign with his old team.

“I have decided to continue with Kobe, continue with our teammates and the fans of Los Angeles. While this may not be the most lucrative contract I’ve been offered this off season, it is the most valuable,” Fisher said on his website.

“I am confident I will continue to lead this team on and off the court. Let the hunt for six begin…”

The team also brought back the Zen Master, head coach Phil Jackson, who has been bench boss for the Lakers’ last five NBA titles.

Besides Fisher, the Lakers probably won’t be adding any big-name talent – the team is four players away from the association’s roster minimum of 13 players.

The Lakers are listed at +300 to repeat as NBA champs at the sportsbooks.

If the Miami Heat do become the power in the Eastern Conference, which team will present the biggest challenge?

The Boston Celtics, who are listed at +1000 to win the 2011 title, have re-signed Paul Pierce and Ray Allen and added Jermaine O’Neal and should pack some punch.

But the intra-state rivals, the Orlando Magic could be the major hurdle for the Heat.
The Magic have re-signed backup shooting guard J.J. Redick and have added point guard Chris Duhon from the New York Knicks and shooting guard Quentin Richardson from the Miami Heat and they already have the likes of Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis and Jameer Nelson.

The Magic are listed at +200 to win the Eastern Conference title and +1600 to take the NBA championship during the 2010/11 campaign.

The Miami Heat have struck gold so far this off-season…but there are several teams who are ready to step up and keep the big prize out of South Beach.

You can check out all the NBA Odds.

We’ll keep an eye on the NBA Championship betting throughout the summer.

Have a great week.

NBA Championship Betting: Celtics vs. Lakers

With a tip of the hat to Yogi Berra, it’s “deja vu all over again” as the 2010 NBA Championship is set to tip off.

Just as they did two seasons ago, the storied Boston Celtics and LA Lakers will represent their respective conferences in this year’s NBA Final. LA is looking serve a cold dish of revenge, as they were dumped 4-2 in that 2008 Final.

This time around, online sportsbooks have the Lakers as the series favorites, listed at -175 while the Celtics are +155 underdogs.

So where’s the money going and is there any good value in betting on the series.

Let’s look at some the NBA Betting numbers of note for this matchup:

Boston has been a healthy play for the sports betting public the last few weeks, posting a 7-2 mark against the spread in their last nine starts.
They’ve also been covering at an impressive clip on home court, going 7-2 ATS the last nine times they’ve played in front of the hometown faithful.

Over/Under bettors might want to jot down that in the Celtics last 11 games overall, they have recorded 3 Overs, 7 Unders and 1 Push.

As for the Lakers, they are 10-2 SU in their last 12 overall, but for bettors, keep in mind they have not paid off very well at the STAPLES Center in their last 20 games, only going 7-12-1 ATS (but they are 17-3 straight up in those 20 starts).

The Celtics owned the Lakers the last time they met in the finals, going 4-2 SU but they were even more dominant when it came to against the spread numbers as Boston covered in every single game of that 2008 championship (6-0 ATS).

Celtics’ Injuries:
Despite the few days off that both teams have enjoyed prior to the start of the championship series, both teams are less than 100 percent.

Most notable amongst the banged up Celtics is starting point guard Rajon Rondo.

Rondo is suffering from muscle spasms in his back but he expects to be ready for opening tip-off on Thursday.

“I'm about 67 percent today,” quipped Rondo to ESPN.

“I won't be 100 percent by Thursday, but I'll be like 94.7.”

While Rondo says he will be somewhere close to 100 percent for the opener, the same probably can’t be said of Lakers center Andrew Bynum.

Lakers’ Injuries:
Bynum has been playing for a bulk of the postseason with slightly torn meniscus in his right knee and had the problem area drained on Tuesday according to reports.

Bynum will have to undergo offseason surgery and despite having the area drained, he told ESPN that it doesn’t feel any better.

“I think I just need to fight through it until we get the surgery done,” he said.

“This is the last hurrah; this is the last show, so I'm ready to give everything.”

Going into Game 1, SPORTSBETTING.com has the Lakers as a 5.5-point home favorite and the Total is set at 192.

In Boston’s last nine games when listed as an underdog of 6-points or less, there have been 6 Overs and 3 Unders.

The Lakers are only 3-6-1 ATS in their last 10 when favored by 6-points or less.

Early betting action has been pretty even, with 57% of the volume coming in on the Lakers.

I’ve made a small series wager on the Lakers at -175, as I think with the additions, the commitment to being tougher defensively (something that caused them issues in the 2008 loss) and a nicked up Celtic roster gives a nice edge to the Lakers.

Look for them to get some revenge and hoist the Championship trophy.

Enjoy the NBA Betting championship series.

Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Trends and Odds

Three teams are sitting pretty, waiting for the next round, while friends of Cleveland Cavalier fans are keeping them away from sharp objects and rooftops. And many bettors can relate, as online sportsbooks and Vegas shops alike, took in a lot of betting action on King James and the Cavs to not only win this series, but win the Eastern Conference and the Championship.
So while the Phoenix Suns prepare to battle the LA Lakers in the Western Conference final (after sweeping their respective semifinal series), the Orlando Magic (who also swept their series) are waiting to see who comes out of the Cavs-Celtics series.

Boston currently holds a 3-2 series lead — the Celtics took Game 5 by a final of 120-88, winning straight up as a +7.5 underdog.

The sports betting public took a hit in that game, as online sportsbooks reported heavy action coming in on the Cavs.

While LeBron James has been playing with an injured elbow, he says that’s not the reason for the Game 5 ass-kicking.

“I missed a lot of open shots that I normally make,” he told the Associated Press after the loss.

“You don’t see that out of me a lot so when it happens, it’s a big surprise.”

Game 6 will go in Beantown on Thursday and many are wondering aloud if they’ve seen the last of James in a Cleveland jersey.

Bettors take note: the Cavaliers have not been kind in their last 20 games overall, going a money-sucking 6-14 against the spread…and in their last eight road games, they are only 2-6 straight up. Cleveland is only 2-10 SU in their last 12 games in Boston.

Looking at betting the Total in this one? Here’s a quick trend worth noting. In the Cavs’ last nine games overall vs. Boston Celtics, there have been 7 Overs and only 2 Unders.

Obviously the Celtics want to end the series on Thursday and get ready for their date in the Eastern Conference final, and possibly another NBA championship.

“We cannot come back [to Cleveland],” said Kevin Garnett after Game 5.

“We have to think this is our Game 7 coming up and we cannot afford to have the best team in the league have a Game 7 on their floor. Just not possible.”

In their last 10 games overall, the Celtics are 7-3 SU and ATS.

This should be one of the best games of the 2010 NBA playoffs…you can check all the updated NBA Odds.

Atlanta Hawks vs Orlando Magic Odd and Preview

The NBA match between Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic will kick off on May 6, 2010 at 8:00 PM ET. The venue for this match is Amway Arena, Orlando, FL.

Atlanta Hawks coach Mike Woodson woke up Wednesday and watched a movie.

It was a horror film with a predictable plot, a super villain and plenty of heart-wrenching moments. Hawks were ripped apart in nearly every scene before the painful-to-watch finish.

Atlanta Hawks coach Mike Woodson woke up Wednesday and watched a movie.

It was a horror film with a predictable plot, a super villain and plenty of heart-wrenching moments. Hawks were ripped apart in nearly every scene before the painful-to-watch finish.

The Magic led by as many as 46 points in the fourth, even with Howard and the rest of their starters on the bench. It was the largest margin of defeat in the playoffs since the franchise moved to Atlanta in 1968, and the second-largest playoff victory in the Magic's history.

Atlanta Hawks vs Orlando Magic Schedule

Match: Atlanta Hawks vs Orlando Magic

Time: 8:00 PM ET

Date: May 6, 2010

Venue: Amway Arena, Orlando, FL

You can check all the updated NBA Odds.

NBA Playoff Picks 2010 NBA Odds and Predictions

Everything seems to be back to normal in La-La Land, at least for the time being.

While many were beginning to jump off the Los Angeles Lakers’ bandwagon prior to Tuesday’s Game 5, Kobe Bryant didn’t seem concerned about blowing a 2-0 series lead to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

“Who said our backs are against the wall?” Bryant asked when questioned by the Los Angeles Times before Game 5.

“It’s a 2-2 series. What the hell is going on around here?”

Although the momentum seemed to be swinging in the Thunder’s direction, the Lakers showed the new kids on the playoff block who was in charge.

While Kobe did have a solid game, he had modest point totals, going 4 of 9 from the field for 13 points but his teammates were there to contribute as well.

Power forward Pau Gasol led the Lake Show with 25 points, center Andrew Bynum was close behind with 21 and the Lakers came away with a 111-87 win, covering as 6-point home favorites.

The momentum seems to have swung again but who will be the victor when the two meet in Oklahoma City on Friday?

Online sportsbooks have the Lakers as 1.5-point road ‘dogs with the Total is set at 195.

Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Trends:

The Lakers are a study of opposites in their last nine overall games against the Thunder, going 6-3 straight up but going 3-6 against the spread at the same time.

In the Lakers’ last nine road games, they aren’t impressive either way, going 2-7 SU and 3-6 ATS and six of their last eight road games have gone Over while two have gone Under the Total.

In the Purple and Gold’s last 20 games when listed as an underdog of 2-points or less, they are 14-6 both SU and ATS.

SPORTSBETTING.com’s manager, Brian Taylor, said the betting action in Game 5 favored the Lakers about 60-40, but so far the early action on Game 6 is tilted to the home team Thunder, with 63% of all the volume on the small favorite.

Dallas vs. San Antonio

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban hasn’t been shy when expressing his hatred for the San Antonio Spurs and he must’ve been fuming prior to Game 5 of the series.

The Mavs were down 3-1 in the series but managed to stay alive with a 103-81 victory on Tuesday night — covering as 5-point home faves.

The Dallas Mavericks could take the series the distance with a win Thursday in San Antone; the Spurs are 3.5-point faves for that game and the Over/Under is at 191.

In the Mavericks’ last 14 games on the road, they are 10-4 SU and 10-3-1 ATS.

The Spurs are only 6-13-1 ATS in their last 20 games when hosting the Dallas Mavericks.

The Spurs are also 10-2 SU and 9-2-1 ATS in their last 12 home games.

Enjoy all the b-ball playoff action and check out NBA Odds

2010 NBA Playoff Picks and Odds – NBA Playoff Predictions

Friday night serves up three more big NBA matchups, including the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs.

Prior to Game 2, Mavs owner Mark Cuban talked about the hate he felt towards his team’s first-round opponent.

"I have a hard time being civil to [Spurs owner] Peter Holt at the board of governors meetings and he has a hard time being civil to me even though we both like each other," Cuban is quoted as saying by ESPN.

"We can both be 0-80 and if those last two games are Spurs-Mavericks, it's going to be like a playoff game because we dislike each other that much."

The Spurs responded by blowing out the Mavs 102-88 in Game 2, covering as 3.5-point underdogs.

Now tied at 1-1 going into Game 3, online sportsbooks have the Spurs as 3-point road ‘dogs with the Total at 193.5.

In their last 16 games in San Antonio, the Dallas Mavericks are a very impressive 12-4 against the spread.

The Mavs have also been kind to bettors in their last 12 road games, with records of 10-2 SU and ATS.

The Spurs, for their part, are 12-3 SU and 11-4 ATS in their last 15 home games.

Looking at the Over/Under numbers of note, San Antonio has produced 7 Overs and only 1 Under in their last eight home games.

Sportsbook SPORTSBETTING.com is reporting early action coming in on the underdog Mavericks, with 63% of all the betting volume in this one so far tilted to the visitor.

Two big matches  Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics. Enjoy all the action.

Check the updated NBA Odds

Miami Heat vs Indiana Pacers Live Stream – NBA Predictions

Miami Heat vs Indiana Pacers Live Stream @ Sportsbook: The match-up between Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers will kick off on April 02, 2010 at 7 pm.  The countdown to the playoffs is on and with just 7 games remaining on the Heat's schedule, tonight's game in Indiana could end up being their most difficult.

The Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers both enter April playing their best basketball of the season.

While the Heat will try to carry their strong play deep into the playoffs, the Pacers' sudden surge is too little, too late.

Miami looks to extend its season-high winning streak to seven and move closer to a postseason berth Friday night when it visits an already-eliminated Indiana team seeking its seventh victory in eight games.

Despite trailing 8th place Toronto by 9½ games, the Pacers are playing some very good basketball of late.  They have won 6 of their last 7 games against mostly poor teams, but they do have wins over Utah and Charlotte in the last couple weeks.

The Miami Heat are slight 50.2 percent favorites over the Indiana Pacers. The Heat are shooting 44.1 percent from the field and the Pacers are forecasted to shoot 42 percent. The Heat have the rebounding advantage at 46.5 to 41.3. Turnovers are pretty even with the Heat projected for 13.3 turnovers vs. 12.6 for the Pacers. The Heat are making 4.8 three pointers on 34.4 percent from three point range. The Pacers are making 8.1 three pointers on 36.7 percent.

Watch Miami Heat vs Indiana Pacers Live Stream @ Sportsbook Online

Chicago Bulls vs Washington Wizards NBA Live Streaming & Preview

Chicago Bulls vs Washington Wizards Live Streaming @ Sportsbook: The match-up between Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards will kick off on April 02, 2010 at Verizon Center Stadium, USA.

The Chicago Bulls have taken advantage of a lighter stretch in their schedule to stay alive for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Confidence.

Eastern Conference rivals that are trying to make some headway towards the future duke it out at the Verizon Center on Monday night. That's where the Washington Wizards and Chicago Bulls will engage in a battle.

Before the slate becomes more challenging, the Bulls on Friday night visit the last-place Washington Wizards, who look to record back-to-back wins for the first time since mid-February.

Chicago (35-39) is two games behind Toronto for the final postseason berth. The Raptors, who are idle Friday, own the tiebreaker and will host the Bulls on April 11.         

Following a 10-game losing streak, the Bulls have won four of their last six to stay close to Toronto in the standings. The victories all came against teams with records at or below .500.

However, Chicago has split two games against Washington (22-52) this season with each team victorious at home. The Bulls are looking to avoid another setback in the nation's capital especially since this is one of two remaining games against opponents with losing records.

Chicago has had to contend with injuries recently, although that situation seems to be getting better. Joakim Noah continues to improve after being limited over the last month because of plantar fasciitis, and Luol Deng - out the last 11 games with a calf strain - is expected to return either Friday or Saturday against Charlotte, according to the Bulls' official Web site.

Chicago is also optimistic that Kirk Hinrich, who sat out the second half of the Bulls' 111-105 loss to Phoenix on Tuesday with a sprained ankle, will be available to face Washington.

Derrick Rose and Flip Murray each scored 23 points in the loss as Chicago gave up 14 3-pointers.

Watch Chicago Bulls vs Washington Wizards Live Streaming @ Sportsbook Online

NIT Championship 2010 Final - North Carolina vs Dayton Live Streaming

North Carolina vs Dayton Live Streaming at Sportsbook:  The final match in NIT Championship 2010 is between the North Carolina Tar Heels, and the Dayton Flyers.

The North Carolina Tar Heels will take on the Dayton Flyers on Thursday in the final of the 2010 NIT Championship.

The last few weeks have been really important in the world of college basketball, what with the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Tournaments taking place. But there has also been another tournament taking place over the last couple of weeks – the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).

The Tar Heels are going for history.  If they beat the Flyers, North Carolina will become the first-ever basketball program to win an NIT title right after an NCAA national title.

This is another much awaited event for this Thursday night as the North Carolina will be facing Dayton for the NIT Championship 2010 finals. A lot of NIT loyal fans now are waiting to watch this finals showdown of 2 teams who are aiming for the championship title for this year.

Dayton beat Mississippi 68-63 Tuesday night to reach the championship and look to win their third NIT title. North Carolina beat Rhode Island 68-67 in overtime.

The Dayton Flyers are heading into their 22nd NIT tomorrow night, and are seeking their third NIT title (first since 1968). The only thing that is standing in the way of them winning their third NIT title is the North Carolina Tar Heels, who defeated Rhode Island 68-67 yesterday.

So don’t miss this chance to watch this much anticipated championship round of Dayton vs North Carolina in your favourite streaming sites now. Just look for a quality video for your convenience in watching the game.

Watch North Carolina vs Dayton Live Streaming @ Sportsbook Online

2010 NCAA March Madness Final Four Updates & Schedules

2010 NCAA March Madness Final Four Updates at Online Betting: The most exciting part of the game is about to happen because as of the latest basketball game matches at the NCAA Men’s Division Basketball Tournament 2010, the so-called Final Four is finally completed.

The final slot was filled after Duke University beat Baylor University with 78-71.  The Championship game is just around the corner, after the Final Four sets foot on the hard court next week for the second to the last showdown to determine who will face who.

So which 2010 NCAA basketball teams have reached this far? Last night, we already know that two teams of the Final Four Bracket are already filled up with two of the basketball games held last Saturday, March 27, 2010.

Butler University and West Virginia are two of the early settlers in the 2010 NCAA Final Four basketball team beating their previous basketball game matches against Kansas State and Kentucky, respectively.

Duke is the only number one seed to make it to the Final Four this year. The is their debut.  It was an exciting game.  A deadlock with 3 minutes remaining in the ballgame. A missed Baylor free throw was converted into three points and since then, Duke led the game until the end.

Mike Krzyzewski and team are excited to head back to the NCAA Tournament Final Four.  Duke will play West Virginia in the Final Four next weekend. Michigan State will face Butler University.

March Madness 2010 is coming to a close, the NCAA National Championship game will be held April 5, in Indianapolis, Indiana.  The final two will be decided on April 3.

Check out 2010 NCAA Final Four Odds and Predictions at Online Betting

College Basketball Picks NCAA Hoops Previews

The Kansas Jayhawks have been the No. 1 team in college basketball for a majority of the season, with the exception of a couple of weeks.

As it stands, the Jayhawks are the odds-on to win the NCAA basketball championship at +150 at most online sportsbooks.

Kansas’ regular season is coming to an end—they only have three games left—and they are in Oklahoma State this weekend to play the Cowboys.

Let’s look at some key NCAA Trends for this weekend.

The Jayhawks are polar opposites when it comes to straight up and against the spread records, going 8-0 SU in their last eight but only 1-7 ATS.

The story is the same in Kansas’ last 11 road games with records of 8-3 SU and 3-7-1 ATS.

In its last 10 overall games against Oklahoma State, Kansas has won seven games straight up and the Under has cashed seven times as well.

Villanova vs. Syracuse
Sport is full of clichés but Saturday’s game between the No. 8 Villanova Wildcats and the No. 4 Syracuse Orange is truly a battle that will show which team is the beast of the Big East—Syracuse and ‘Nova are 1-2 in the conference respectively.

The game will take place in Syracuse.

In the Orange’s last 14 games, they are 13-1 SU and 10-4 ATS and have taken 10 Unders in that span.

In Syracuse’s last 20 home games they are 18-2 straight up.

Villanova comes into the Syracuse game taking nine of its last 12 overall games SU and is 7-3 SU in its last 10 road games with eight Overs in those same 10 games.

The Orange have struggled in their last nine against Villanova however, as they are only 2-7 SU and 3-6 ATS.

Furthermore, Syracuse has also struggled in the last 12 games they have hosted Villanova, going 3-9 against the spread.

Kentucky vs. Tennessee
The Kentucky Wildcats are currently the consensus No. 2 team in the nation and after a game against South Carolina on Thursday, prepare for a big game against the No. 17 Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday.

Kentucky has prospered on the road, going 8-1 SU and 7-2 ATS in its last nine away from home.

The Wildcats have had a decided advantage over the Volunteers in their last 13 overall games, going both 10-3 SU and ATS.

The days keep counting down to Selection Sunday, March Madness and the Final Four.

Have a good weekend.

You can check more NCAA odds, NCAA Picks.

Chicago Bulls Vs Washington Wizards NBA Picks, Odds and Predictions

The Chicago Bulls are making the most of a favorable stretch of games following the All-Star break. A visit to Washington could help extend their recent run of success.

The Bulls look to match a season high with their fifth straight victory while trying for a third consecutive win over the new-look Wizards on Monday night.

Bet on NBA Basketball @ NBA Betting

Despite trading veteran John Salmons and former first-round pick Tyrus Thomas to free up salary cap space in the hopes of pursuing some of the game’s top free agents next season, Chicago (29-26) appears focused on succeeding in the present.

Rookie Taj Gibson tied a career high with 20 points and had 13 rebounds, while Derrick Rose and Kirk Hinrich each scored 17 as the Bulls won 122-90 at home over Philadelphia on Saturday to remain undefeated since the All-Star break.

Oddsmakers from Online Betting  have made the Bulls -2 for Monday’s game against the Wizards. Current NBA Public Betting Information shows that 58% of more the 234 bets for this game have been placed on the Bulls -2.

Hakim Warrick, acquired from Milwaukee in the Salmons’ trade, added 15 with nine boards for Chicago, which has won six of seven and is sixth in the Eastern Conference.

“We are confident and playing really good basketball,” Rose told the Bulls’ official Web site. “I’m really excited about the guys we have here right now.”

The Bulls’ schedule out of the break has helped contribute to their success. In the midst of playing seven of eight against teams with losing records, the Bulls are averaging 113.8 points and shooting 49.3 percent in two victories over New York, and wins against Minnesota and Philadelphia in their last four games.

Chicago held the 76ers to 38.4 percent shooting, while totaling a season high for points and committing a season-low four turnovers.

“If we play like that, we are a tough team to beat,” said Hinrich, who made three 3-pointers Saturday to give him a team-record 773 for his career.

Chicago figures to be a formidable opponent for Washington (19-34), which is without suspended star Gilbert Arenas and recently traded top players Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler.

Though the Wizards have won two in a row at home since the break, the Bulls have won three of their last four trips to Washington. Chicago also won 121-119 in double overtime at home in the teams’ last meeting Jan. 15.

Rose scored a career-high 37 points and had nine rebounds with six assists in that contest. Coming off his first All-Star game appearance and still nursing a sore hip, Rose is averaging 23.0 points on 55.7 percent shooting during the team’s four-game winning streak.

The Bulls last won five in a row Jan. 22-29.

Washington fell short in a bid for its first three-game winning streak of the season, losing 109-104 at Toronto on Saturday. Though the Wizards can no longer rely on the star trio of Arenas, Jamison and Butler, they appear to feel more comfortable on the floor as a group.

“We’re getting better,” said fifth-year forward Andray Blatche, who’s averaging 9.8 points on the season but 25.0 in his last three games since becoming a starter. “I like our attitude, I like our hustle. We’re going to be a great team.”

Blatche scored 24 points and former All-Star Josh Howard had 17 with seven rebounds Saturday in his third game since Dallas traded him for Butler and Brendan Haywood. Howard, who scored 20 points in the Wizards’ 107-97 win over Denver on Friday, is averaging 19.3 points and 7.2 boards in his last four games against the Bulls.

Randy Foye, who had 14 points Saturday for the Wizards, had 22 and seven assists at Chicago last month.

Check out Bulls Vs Wizards NBA Odds at SPORTSBETTING.com

NCAA Hoops Betting – 2010 College Basketball Betting

With a little less than a month before Selection Sunday and March Madness, teams, fans and the sports betting public are starting to fixate on the big tournament, “bubble” teams, etc.
As it stands, the Kansas Jayhawks are the No. 1 college basketball team in the land and the odds-on favorite at online betting sportsbooks to take the NCAA Championship Tournament at +150.

Colorado vs. Kansas:
The Jayhawks see action this weekend with a home game against conference rival Colorado.
Kansas has dominated the Colorado Buffaloes going 19-1 straight up in their last 20 games against them. But they are only 2-5 ATS in their last seven meetings with Colorado.
Over/Under bettors take note: The last nine times these two teams have hooked up, they have produced only 1 Over while racking up 8 Unders.
The Jayhawks have lost three straight, against the spread, the last three times they have hosted the Buffaloes.
Bet on College Basketball at NCAA Basketball Betting
Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt:
This Saturday’s sked is light on head to head Top 25 matchups and the lone game that features two ranked teams doing battle features the No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats and the No. 19 Vanderbilt Commodores.
It is a key matchup not only because the two are ranked but because they sit 1-2 in the SEC East standings — Kentucky has a 10-1 conference record while Vandy is 8-2.
The Wildcats have struggled in their last nine overall games against the Commodores, dropping six of nine straight up, and they are a dismal 2-6 straight up in their last eight visits to Vanderbilt (including a four-game losing streak).
Ohio State vs. Michigan State:
A Big Ten battle between the No. 12 Ohio State Buckeyes and the No. 11 Michigan State Spartans goes Sunday.
Ohio State is still smarting from a 60-57 loss to the No. 4 Purdue Boilermakers on Wednesday night; the Buckeyes failed to cover as 4-point faves.
The game takes place in East Lansing, and the Buckeyes have struggled in their last 15 games there, with a record of 4-11 SU.
However, Ohio State’s last eight road games against the Spartans have produced a record of 6-2 ATS.
The push to March Madness is beginning, so hang on and enjoy the ride.
Have a good weekend.
Check out NCAA Betting Odds and visit SPORTSBETTING.com for a 110% sign-up bonus

Denver Nuggets Vs Cleveland Cavaliers Picks and Odds – NBA Preview

The Denver Nuggets are fighting for one of the top spots in the Western Conference, but this week, their attention turned to a different kind of battle.

Bet on NBA Basketball @ Online Betting

Two days after coach George Karl announced he is suffering from throat and neck cancer, the Nuggets visit the Cleveland Cavaliers, who look to win their franchise-record 14th straight Thursday.Oddsmakers from Online Sportsbook SPORTSBETTING.com have made the Cavaliers –6 point spread favorites for Thursday’s game against the Nuggets. Current NBA Betting Information shows that 69% of more the 327 bets for this game have been placed on the Cavaliers -6.

Denver (35-18) comes out of the All-Star break trying to fend off Utah in the Northwest Division as it looks to win a second consecutive division title. However, the Nuggets recently learned they may have to do so without their coach for periods of time.

Karl announced Tuesday that he will undergo a rigorous six-week treatment of radiation and chemotherapy to treat the cancer. He said he will miss at least a couple of Denver’s upcoming games and that assistant Adrian Dantley would lead the team in his absence.




“My desire is to do whatever I can to stay with my team throughout the treatment that I have to go through,” Karl said. “Basically, my belief is this is a championship team and I want to do anything and everything I can to help them continue in their quest that we all want.”

This is the second time Karl has been diagnosed with cancer. He underwent treatment for prostate cancer in 2005.

“It was shocking just to hear it,” forward Kenyon Martin told the Nuggets’ official Web site. “He told us he’s battled it before so he knows what it takes to get right. He’s going to do all he can to get his body right and his health together and we’re going to do all we can to make sure the basketball end is taken care of.”
Karl will be on the bench Thursday as the Nuggets get a tough test coming out of the break.

Cleveland (43-11) has tied a franchise record with 13 consecutive wins and has the best record in the NBA. Its winning streak, which equaled last season’s run from March 7-31, is three victories shy of matching the 1990-91 Lakers’ NBA-record 16-game run.

The Cavaliers closed the first half of the season with a 115-106 victory over Orlando last Thursday, led by LeBron James’ 32 points and 13 assists.

James, who scored 25 points in the All-Star game, will be looking to pick up where he left off before the break. He averaged 33.5 points and 11.0 assists in the final six games.

“I think our team is built to win a championship,” James said. “With the group of guys we have here, if we continue to get better, we’re headed in the right direction.”

While the Cavaliers, who are 11-0 at home against teams from the West, are hoping the break didn’t hurt their momentum, the Nuggets used the time off to get healthy.

Denver ended the first half of the season by splitting its final six games, losing 111-92 to San Antonio last Thursday, although it still has gone 12-4 since mid-January.

Martin sat out the final two games with tendinitis in his left knee while Carmelo Anthony returned for the final two after missing the previous eight with an ankle injury.

Anthony was sidelined for Cleveland’s visit to Denver last month because of a knee injury. Despite his absence and James scoring 35 points, the Nuggets won 99-97. They have also won four of their last six trips to Quicken Loans Arena.

Denver will face two of the top three teams in the East this week, hosting Boston on Sunday.

Check out the Denver Nuggets Vs Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Odds at SPORTSBETTING.com

Spurs vs. Pacers NBA Picks and Odds – 2010 NBA Preview

The San Antonio Spurs have faltered over the last few weeks and are in the middle of the pack in the Western Conference.
All-Star forward Tim Duncan, though, doesn’t expect the team to make any moves prior to the trade deadline.
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Duncan and the Spurs open the second half of their season Wednesday night at Conseco Fieldhouse, where they’ll go for their sixth straight victory over the Indiana Pacers.
Oddsmakers from online sports book SPORTSBETTING.com have made the NA point spread favorites for Wednesday’s game against the NA. Current NBA Betting Information shows that NA% of more the NA bets for this game have been placed on the NA.
Since a 15-4 stretch from Dec. 9-Jan. 13, San Antonio (30-21) has lost eight of 14, alternating wins and losses in its last seven games. The Spurs, however, closed the first half strongly by winning 111-92 at Northwest Division-leading Denver on Thursday.
“I thought we played better than we have played,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “It was one of three or four games that we played really well defensively in the first half of the season.”

With San Antonio well within reach of Southwest Division-leading Dallas, Duncan is not anticipating management to pull the trigger on a trade before Thursday’s deadline.
“I think we’re going to go to the second half with the group that we have,” Duncan said. “If something happens, then something happens, but through our history we haven’t done anything in the middle of the season. So, we’re going to continue to work with the pieces that we have and hopefully we can get it to turn.”
Indiana (18-34) would like for its fortunes to change, but the Pacers find themselves in a much different position – well out of the playoff race.
“You can’t worry about the playoffs,” forward Mike Dunleavy told the Pacers’ official Web site. “…You’ve got to worry about winning every game as it comes, take one game at a time. If we get ahead of ourselves and think we need to win a few in a row or something like that, we’re just not there yet.”
Third-year coach Jim O’Brien will apparently be the one that will try to lead Indiana in the right direction.
“The one thing Jimmy bought into when he came here was that we were going to rebuild, and we were going to struggle at times,” Pacers president Larry Bird said. “I always say the losses are on me because I want him to work these guys hard, develop the young guys we have and keep moving forward with what we have.”
With center Jeff Foster out for the season and rookie Tyler Hansbrough sidelined the last month with an inner-ear infection, Bird is happy with the progress of second-year center Roy Hibbert, who is averaging 11.1 points and 5.9 rebounds.
Hibbert had 20 points, seven rebounds and a career-high six blocked shots in a 100-99 loss at San Antonio on Dec. 19. He blocked Duncan’s shot on the Spurs’ final possession, but Duncan followed with the game-winning dunk over Hibbert.
Pacers leading scorer Danny Granger, who missed that game with a heel injury, had 35 points in San Antonio’s last visit to Indianapolis – a 126-121 victory for the Spurs on April 3.
Tony Parker led San Antonio with 31 points and 10 assists in that matchup. He could miss his second straight game Wednesday due to a left hip flexor strain.
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NCAA Basketball Betting – 2010 NCAA Hoops Betting

What’s the biggest betting event of the year in North America? If you guessed the Super Bowl you’re wrong. While the Super Bowl lays claim to being the largest wagered on single event of the year, March Madness surpasses the Super Bowl for the sports betting public, albeit the tourney stretches over three weeks.
There is still a full month and a bit of college basketball to be played before Selection Sunday, but the talk of “Bubble” teams and tournament seeds is starting to heat up as we are in the most exciting part of the NCAA hoops schedule.

The North Carolina Tar Heels took it on the chin last night from bitter rival Duke. Online Betting sportsbooks had Duke as a -5.5-point favorite, a number they easily covered.
While the Tar Heels won the NCAA basketball championship last season, they lost power forward Tyler Hansbrough to the NBA and have been a shadow of their former selves this season.


UNC is near the bottom of the ACC standings (10^th) with a record of 13-11 straight up overall, 2-7 SU in the ACC and a record of 6-15 against the spread.

The Tar Heels got off to a respectable start going 12-4 SU in their first 16 games but have gone 1-7 in their last eight.

North Carolina is now preparing for a game against the intrastate rival North Carolina State Wolfpack on Saturday.

As mentioned, the ‘Heels have been of struggling as of late straight up, but they have also been an awful play for sports bettors, going 3-11 ATS in their last 14.

In their last 13 games, North Carolina has a record of 3 Overs and 10 Unders.

The Tar Heels are equally unimpressive in their last 11 road games, going 4-7 SU and 3-8 ATS.

However, UNC could be poised to win Saturday as they are 10-3 SU and ATS in their last 13 at North Carolina State.

Another traditional power, like North Carolina, the Connecticut Huskies have fallen on hard times, at least lately.

Ranked No. 12 and 14 respectively in the AP and USA Today preseason polls, UConn has pretty much fallen off the radar.

While the Huskies are 14-9 SU overall, they are only 8-13 ATS.

Connecticut has a Saturday home tilt against the Cincinnati Bearcats on deck.

UConn has been a force at home however, going 16-4 SU and are 8-2 SU in their last 10 games at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion.

In the last five tilts between the two, the Huskies are 4-1 SU and ATS.

While the UConn Huskies are near the bottom of the Big East standings, the same can’t be said of the No. 4 West Virginia Mountaineers and the No. 23 Pittsburgh Panthers and the two meet on Friday at the Petersen Events Center.

WVU and Pitt sit third and fifth in the conference respectively.

The Mountaineers have not fared well when visiting Pittsburgh, going 3-9 SU and 4-7-1 ATS.

The Panthers are 17-3 SU in their last 20 home games and are 14-1 SU in their last 15 at Petersen.

We’re a little over a month away from the start of March Madness 2010 so there’s plenty of time to warm up with your college hoops betting.

Good luck this week.

Check out SPORTSBETTING.com for all the NCAA Basketball Betting Lines.