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Williams takes CP3's titleBasketball Betting Lines04/27/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Coaches in all sports are fond of saying you can't lose your spot due to injury. That cliche only gets ramped up if you are a star. The NBA's best point guard, Chris Paul, went through his most difficult season as a pro this year in the Big Easy. After a poor 3-6 start to the season, the Hornets fired head coach Byron Scott in November and replaced him with general manager Jeff Bower, a move Paul didn't agree with. The three-time All-Star expressed his displeasure and sparked some controversy when he claimed management should have consulted with him before pulling the trigger. The next day, Paul suffered a left ankle sprain against the Portland Trail Blazers and missed eight games. His injury-riddled season continued in early February when an MRI revealed a torn meniscus in his left knee, forcing the former Rookie of the Year and Olympic Gold Medalist to undergo arthroscopic surgery. Paul was sidelined for nearly eight weeks, missing 25 contests and the 2010 All-Star Game. He finally returned to action on March 22 but with the season going nowhere, New Orleans shut down its superstar for good just over two weeks later. Through it all, rookie first round pick Darren Collison actually excelled in Paul's absence, but anyone thinking the former UCLA star has any chance of taking minutes away from Paul next season probably needs a few sessions with a therapist. Chris Paul isn't losing his spot to a rookie with an upside. His mantle as the game's best point guard, however, is in play. Jut like boxing fans, who often like to debate who the best pound-for-pound pugilist is, basketball fans love comparisons. Head down to the legendary Blue Horizon in North Philadelphia and you are sure to hear the locals discussing the merits of Floyd Mayweather, Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao. Head down to your local barbershop to talk hoops and it might be "Who's better -- Kobe or LeBron?" Before this tortured season, Paul was the undisputed King of NBA point guards. Now, Utah's Deron Williams is topping more than a few lists. Jerry Sloan's quarterback has been spectacular in the team's Western Conference quarterfinals series with Denver. Despite missing two starters due to injury, the Jazz have a commanding 3-1 edge in the set with a chance to put things away in the Rockies on Wednesday. Williams has been the catalyst, torturing fellow All-Star Chauncey Billups. "I have great respect for Chauncey, but Deron Williams is just kicking his (butt)," TNT analyst Charles Barkley said Sunday. "He is dominating this series totally. He has been the best player in every game. He is imposing his will and this team is missing two of their better players (Andrei Kirilenko and Mehmet Okur)." The dynamic Illinois product scored 24 points and distributed 13 assists in Sunday's pivotal Game 4 win, joining the Cincinnati Royals' Oscar Robertson (1965 Eastern Division semifinals vs. Philadelphia), the Suns' Kevin Johnson (1989 Western Conference finals against the LA Lakers) and the Lakers' Magic Johnson (1990 Western Conference semifinals against Phoenix) as the only players in NBA history to register at least 20 points and 10 or more assists in each of the first four games of a playoff series. "One of the reasons why Chauncey can't do anything is because Deron Williams is going after him," Chris Webber said. "Defensively, he can't lock down on him." So, who's the best right now -- CP3 or D-Will? "(Williams') size, his strength and his vision as a point guard. This is the best point guard in the game right now," Reggie Miller said. "If somebody says (Deron Williams) is arguably the best point guard, nobody's arguing," Barkley added. "He is the best point guard in the NBA." Hail to the new King.
<< IRL creates separate oval and road course titles
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Indy Racing League announced on Tuesday it will expand its championship format in the IZOD IndyCar Series, with the highest-scoring oval and road/street course drivers winning separate titles,
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Smith, Windsor & Rogers earn weekly honors >>
Tulsa, OK (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chicago full back CLIFTON SMITH, Arizona wide receiver ROD WINDSOR and Chicago defensive back NYGEL ROGERS have been named the JLS Ironman, Russell Athletic Offensive Player and Riddell Defensive Player of the Week,
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MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details. According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800). Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund. ''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.'' Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby. ''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.'' Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year. ”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?'' For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
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