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Denver Nuggets 2006-07 Season PreviewBasketball Betting Lines10/20/2006 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Star forward Carmelo Anthony is ready to become an All- Star and try to get Denver past the first round of the playoffs. The Nuggets have been eliminated three straight years in the opening round of the postseason. Denver finished 44-38 and captured the Northwest Division crown in the 2005-06 campaign. Even though the Nuggets were the third seed in the Western Conference playoffs, they did not have the home-court advantage and were eliminated in five games by the Los Angeles Clippers, who won 47 games during the regular season, in the opening round of the playoffs. The twenty-two-year-old Anthony had his best season as a pro. The Syracuse product averaged a team-best 26.5 points and collected 4.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 80 contests. He had an excellent summer playing ball for the United States in the World Basketball Championships at Saitama, Japan. Center Marcus Camby averaged 12.8 points and team-best 11.9 rebounds in 56 games, while point guard Andre Miller played all 82 regular-season contests and dished out a club-high 8.2 assists per game. Power forward Kenyon Martin was suspended by the team during the playoffs for conduct detrimental to the team. Martin, who registered 12.9 points and 6.3 boards in 56 games during the regular season, had issues with head coach George Karl. During the offseason, Denver re-signed forward/center Nene to a multi-year contract. Terms of the deal were not released, but reports from the Denver Post had the deal worth $60 million over six years. The 6-11 Nene has played in 213 games for the Nuggets during his four-year career. He has averaged 10.7 ppg and 6.2 rpg and had his best season in 2003-04, averaging 11.8 ppg and 6.5 rpg in 77 games. Nene appeared in just one game last season, as he suffered a torn ACL in his right knee at San Antonio on November 1, 2005. Denver also acquired athletic guard J.R. Smith, who will be entering his third year in the league, in a trade from Chicago and veteran forward Joe Smith in a deal with Milwaukee. Power forward Reggie Evans, who averaged 5.2 points per game and 8.7 rebounds in 26 games with the Nuggets last season after being acquired from Seattle in a four-team deal in February, also re-signed with the club. The team also exercised their option on the contract of Karl on October 10th. Karl originally signed a six-year contract with a team option after the third season. He is under contract through the 2009-10 season. Anthony is the cornerstone of this franchise and is ready to be mentioned with the elite in the NBA. However, he has to rise to the occasion in the playoffs and help Denver earn its first series victory since 1994 when the Nuggets shocked Seattle in round one. BACKCOURT Denver's backcourt is led by the 30-year-old Miller. He is a solid lead guard who does everything well. He is not spectacular and flashy like some of the other point guards in the league, but he gets the job done and gives a Karl a floor leader who usually makes good decisions. J.R. Smith will get a chance for a fresh start in Denver. Originally selected out of St. Benedict's Prep by the Hornets in first round (18th pick overall) of 2004 NBA draft, 21-year-old J.R. Smith has posted career-averages of 9.2 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 131 contests. The Nuggets are hopeful that he can reach his potential with them. Earl Boykins averaged 12.6 points and 3.0 assists in 60 outings last season. The 5-5 Boykins gives the Nuggets a nice backup at the point and he will also play alongside Miller at times. Denver is looking for 6-7 Julius Hodge to step up and contribute in his second year in the league. FRONTCOURT Anthony is the leader and the teams best player. He is coming off a great season and is primed for an even better 2006-07 campaign. His all-around game is becoming complete and he has continued to improve as his career has progressed. This talented forward is ready for the challenge of trying to lead the Nuggets to the next level. Camby, Evans, Martin, Nene and Joe Smith give Denver depth up front. The Nuggets are athletic up front and should be solid on the boards. Camby and Martin provide defensive intensity and can get out in transition which makes the Nuggets very effective in the open court, while Evans, Nene and Joe Smith will do their damage in the low post. The Nuggets strength is their frontcourt. With the emergence of Anthony and if injuries don't creep up, Karl has to feel good about the prospects of his front line. OUTLOOK This is Anthony's year to become an All-Star and get the recognition that he deserves. If they stay healthy, the Nuggets should win 45-48 game and that will be good enough to earn them their second straight Northwest Division title. However, the real test will be in the postseason.
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FOOTBALL BETTINGAfter all the trouble that’s ensued since Braylon Edwards allegedly punched one of LeBron James’ homeboys in the face at a club, the Cleveland Browns have sent away their last remaining player of worth to the New York Jets. This is a great move for Dirty Sanchez and all, but it’s even better for the Knicks. Now Donnie Walsh can say, “You get to haunt Braylon Edwards with your posse if you sign here!” next summer. Putting that aside for a moment, the move is a clear indication that the new-look Jets are gunning for the Super Bowl this year. I don’t think that New York thought that Dirty Sanchez was going to be such a rock star. With a 75.2 passer rating that was killed against the Jets, Sanchez is doing an admirable job of managing games and putting the Jets in a position to win. The defense has been the major story in New York thus far, but the acquisition of Braylon Edwards makes this offense loaded with talent that can dent any defense…as long as Dirty Sanchez continues his meteoric rise. Thus far, Edwards has been a non-factor in the NFL piling up just 139 receiving yards on 10 catches. He has yet to find the endzone, and with the Browns mired in the most unsexy quarterback controversy of all time (Anderson vs. Quinn...yawn), there going nowhere fast. Edwards is two seasons removed from a career year which saw him catch 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns when the Browns were the spread killing monsters of 2007. In 2008, injuries slowed the receiver down to just 873 yards and three touchdowns though he played in all 16 games. So that being said, we really don’t know if Braylon Edwards is just a flash in the pan, or a legit threat. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he is a prototypical receiver. But he’s also shown a strange, and unwarranted, talent for dropping passes. Lining up opposite Jericho Cotchery, a speed demon with 23 catches, 356 yards and a single touchdown, may give Braylon the open looks he needs. A change of scenery may also rejuvenate the star receiver. In return, the Browns will receive Chansi Stuckey, online football betting a special teams player you’ve never heard of and a pair of draft picks. That’s a tall order for a guy whose only real value right now is in his name, and it shows no promise to the Browns that they can rebuild around those acquisitions. Braylon was the only reason to hope for the Browns to go 3-14 SU this year. Without him, they don’t have a single guy on offense that can scare any team. For the Jets, it’s a response to the pounding that they took at the hand of the Saints. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington have averaged around 4.0 yards per carry each on the ground, but striking a fair balance between the passing and rushing attacks in New York has been a struggle. You have to believe that the trio of Dustin Keller, Jericho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards will give Sanchez the weapons he needs to unleash through the air. Theoretically, that would open up holes for the rushing game. But the proposed public option health care plan works in theory too. We need to see the proof in the pudding before we start loading up mega bucks on the New York Jets to take the AFC. The one wrinkle in this whole thing is that Braylon could very well be suspended by the league for disciplinary action due to his “brawl” with LeBron’s friend. If that’s the case, the Jets may have to bench him for a few games leaving them with a somewhat depleted receiving corps for a few games. Also, this is a guy who gets in fights with people at clubs. New York may not be the best place for him. Just sayin’. The Jets have a long week before they meet the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football Betting in a virtual pick ‘em game. Braylon’s excess baggage may be a distraction, and his curiously low production may be what we should be expecting of him overall, but for the Jets, taking a chance to strike gold is well worth it. At the end of the year, they can simply just blame it on their rookie quarterback. To visit this sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your college football betting needs.
Pro Football Odds : NFC SOUTH BETTING ODDSNFL betting action is back! At MySportsbook, all of the pro football odds are posted for the NFC North. Check out how we see the four teams in this cloudy division stacking up this year in the chase for the playoffs! Green Bay Packers (+125) - With QB Aaron Rodgers leading the offense and DC Dom Capers working his magic on defense, the Packers are a real force to be reckoned with. Virtually nothing changed on this offense for Green Bay from last year to this year, save for the addition of rookie OT Brian Bulaga to the bunch. Expect more huge numbers from the Pack, and a relatively favorable schedule should get them over the hump and into the playoffs once again this season. My NFL Betting Predictions: 11-5, 1st place in NFC North Minnesota Vikings (+130) - There are still too many unknowns about the Vikes this year. There is a huge difference between QB Brett Favre and either Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels under center. Plus, is Favre comes back, is he really going to be able to keep his pick total under double digits again? Depth at running back looked like it might have been an issue with RB Chester Taylor fleeing in free agency, but drafting RB Toby Gerhart should pick up the difference. This defense is still suitable, but with a first place schedule, making the playoffs is going to be very tough regardless of whether #4 comes back or not. There is a huge difference between QB Brett Favre and either Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels under center. Plus, is Favre comes back, is he really going to be able to keep his pick total under double digits again? Depth at running back looked like it might have been an issue with RB Chester Taylor fleeing in free agency, but drafting RB Toby Gerhart should pick up the difference. This defense is still suitable, but with a first place schedule, making the playoffs is going to be very tough regardless of whether #4 comes back or not. Play this weekly NFL Football Contestto see if you can win. Chicago Bears (+350) - The Bears are probably a bit of an overhyped team once again this year.No, we don't think it is plausible for QB Jay Cutler to have as bad of a season as he did last year, and we do think the additions of RB Chester Taylor and DE Julius Peppers are going to help immensely, but there's still something in the water in the Windy City that we aren't so sure about. Maybe Chicago finds its way to .500... but then again, maybe it doesn't. If Favre comes back, Cutler might be the worst quarterback in this division this year. Detroit Lions (+1500) - The Lions are probably once again going to be the whipping boys for the rest of the teams in the NFC North, but they aren't just going to roll over and die once again. There is some real talent amassing on this team offensively, as the combination of QB Matt Stafford, RB Jahvid Best, WR Calvin Johnson, and TE Brandon Pettigrew should put a bunch of points on the board if the offensive line can even remotely hold up. The questions really lie on defense, where it feels like DT Ndamukong Suh is going to be trying to stop opposing teams all by himself. This year should show some marked improvement in the Motor City. The Patriots will make NFL betting fans a lot of money this season, get in early and enjoy the cash. To visit this sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your NFL football betting needs. |
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