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Kobe proves any rumors of his demise 'overrated'Basketball Betting Lines04/21/2010 - Kobe Bryant was already a three-time NBA champion when Kevin Durant was still in high school. But when they met Tuesday night in Los Angeles for Game 2 of the opening round of the playoffs, it was Bryant, not Durant, who still looked like the league's ``next big thing.'' His father, former NBA and Italian League journeyman Joe ``Jellybean'' Bryant was on hand to see his son play in person for the first time in five years - and he didn't go away disappointed. ``It was cool for me,'' Kobe said, ``like I was back in high school.'' And just like back then, Joe's pre-game instructions were simple. ``Make the damn free throws,'' his son recalled. Kobe did just that, making 13 of 15, in addition to 12 of 28 shots from the floor in Los Angeles' 95-92 win over Oklahoma City. He took over the fourth quarter, scoring 15 of his 39 points, twice restoring the Lakers' lead and - if nothing else - tamping down speculation for the time being that a handful of nagging injuries have rendered him ripe for the taking. ``He made the tough shots. He got to the free throw line and that's what great players do,'' said Durant, who led the Thunder with 32 points. Afterward, Bryant was asked whether he needed a commanding performance to prove something. ``No, not for myself,'' he told reporters, ``probably for some of you inkers.'' So he knew there were doubts. ``Well, yeah,'' Bryant replied, ``but after 13 years, you'd think they'd know better.'' You would, except that's not the way the NBA and its marketers like things to work. They have one eye always scanning the horizon. Think back to last year, when a barrage of entertaining Nike commercials featured puppet versions of Kobe and LeBron James engaged in a game of one-upmanship that seemed destined to meet in the finals. But that plotline was cut short when James' Cavaliers were derailed by the Orlando Magic. Given the way LeBron has raised his game this season, and taken on a more experienced, more versatile supporting cast - most notably, Shaquille O'Neal and Antawn Jamison - his place in the final is practically guaranteed. Bryant, on the other hand, has rarely looked more vulnerable, and Durant was the perfect candidate to knock him and the Lakers off. Just 21 years old, the third-year pro came into the playoffs after becoming the youngest scoring champion in league history and the likely runner-up to James when the MVP voting is announced. Bryant, 31, took four of the Lakers' last five regular-season games off to rest a variety of aches and pains - fractured right index finger, strained left elbow and right knee, sprained ankle, sore tendon and back spasms. On top of that, he hadn't had a good shooting night since April began. ``I put a lot, a lot of work over the last month or so fine-tuning things and trying to figure things out with the stroke,'' Bryant said, ``and trying to get it back to being consistent.'' Before the game, Lakers coach Phil Jackson sensed his star had something to prove. Bryant learned long ago not to use injuries as an excuse, but just for good measure, Jackson warned his team it couldn't win if Bryant continued taking most of the important shots without cashing in a fair share. ``What did Mark Twain say? Rumors of my demise are overrated, or whatever,'' Jackson conceded afterward. ``He had the game where he could control it.'' Good thing, too, since no one else on the Lakers except for Pau Gasol could provide much help. Teammates Ron Artest and Derek Fisher each shot 2 for 10. Lamar Odom was 2 for 9. ``I had to get something going,'' Bryant said. ``It's a mixture, kind of what the defense gives you, but also being creative and creating those opportunities. The fourth quarter is when I have to provide a spark, whether it's off a pass or scoring myself.'' Bryant has been flogged, alternately, for being too selfish or too passive when the Lakers don't win it all. His greatness has suffered in comparison to Michael Jordan, whose standard of excellence has so far remained beyond anyone's reach. Yet for all the ways that Bryant set out to be like Mike, he has been an unquestioned success in at least one. After 14 seasons in the league, he's still the one player that all the other players with designs on reaching the top have to be measured against. --- Jim Litke is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jlitke(at)ap.orgCopyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
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Kenosha, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Now that we are a couple of weeks into the season, it is easier to determine who is in the zone and who may be in some serious trouble. The important thing that you need to keep in mind right now is that
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March Madness odds and printable March Madness brackets With the field of 64/65 set, MySportsbook.com has the Florida Gators as the 4-1 favorite to successfully defend their National Championship. Men’s Division-1 College Basketball has not seen a team repeat as National Champions since Duke won back to back championships in ’91 & ‘92. After losing three out of four late in the season, the Gators are full of momentum as they won their last four games by an average of 18 points. Not surprisingly, right behind the Gators are the other three top seeds: Kansas 5-1, UNC 6-1, and Ohio State 7-1. Many consider Kansas to be the hottest team in the country, having won 11 straight. With Kansas, it is hard to ignore all of the early exits from the “dance” in recent years. With an impressive ACC Tournament, UNC ensured themselves the other top seed. UNC has about as much talent as any other team in the tournament but with a team that’s best players are primarily freshman and sophomores, could youth be a concern. Behind freshman sensation, Greg Oden, OSU will look to do what their football team failed to do just a few months earlier. OSU seems to have peeked at the right time, as they currently have a 17 game winning streak. Since the tournament field was expanded in 1985, there has never been an instance where all four #1 seeds advanced to the Final Four. It is obvious that each of the top seeds have the talent to make it through to Atlanta. But as everyone knows, when makes the NCAA Tournament so special are all of the spoilers and “Cinderella” stories that knock off the favorites on a daily basis. Be sure to logon to MySportsbook.com to see check out all of the early lines and “March Madness” props. Also be sure to enter the “$10,000,000 Perfect Bracket Contest”. If someone has the skills to predict every winner, they will be set for life and walk away with $10,000,000. Even if no one can cash in on the Grand Prize, with a $35,000 guaranteed prize pool and a Mazda RX-8 to the first prize winner, Sportsbook.com’s bracket is a must for all “March Madness” fans. MySportsbook.com’s odds to win the Championship and Regions:
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