 |
 Basketball Betting |
 |
||||
|
 |
||||
|
||||
Magic seem poised to make Hawks disappear from playoffsBasketball Betting Lines05/10/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Executions tend to have a little more suspense than the Eastern Conference semifinals series between the Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks. The red-hot Magic will attempt to sweep the reeling Hawks out of the postseason tonight when the two teams meet in Game 4 of their set at Philips Arena. Orlando took a commanding 3-0 series lead on Saturday when Rashard Lewis hit four three-pointers and ended with a team-high 22 points, as the Magic once again dominated Atlanta en route to an easy 105-75 win. "We were looking forward to a hard-fought game, but we came out and played hard defense and built a big lead," Lewis said. "We don't want to jump ahead of ourselves. We want to take it one game at a time. We're going to keep playing with a lot of intensity." A return to Dixie, where the Hawks went 34-7 during the regular season, figured to give Mike Woodson's club a boost after it lost the first two games of the series by a combined 57 points in Orlando. Instead, a lifeless crowd and the Magic's 50.7-percent shooting effort resulted in the 14th straight loss in conference semifinal games for the Hawks. Meanwhile, Orlando has won the first three games in the series by an average of 29 points. "I don't see the effort," Hawks center Al Horford said. "We won 53 games for a reason but we get to the postseason, where the stakes are high, and we're not coming out there and giving the effort we need." No team in NBA history has ever recovered from a 3-0 series deficit. "It's very disappointing," Woodson said. "I figured we would come home and play at a high level and make a series out of it, but we were so flat coming out. I don't think anyone saw this coming." Dwight Howard recorded 21 points and 16 rebounds, while Jameer Nelson and Mickael Pietrus chipped in 14 and 13 points, respectively, in Game 3 for the Magic, who have won 13 straight games dating back to the regular season. "I think our guys were ready to play," Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy said. "What impressed me even more, we came out in the second half with the lead and didn't play as if we had a cushion. We continued to fight and defend very hard." Jamal Crawford had 22 points, while Josh Smith added 15 and 11 rebounds for the Hawks, who shot just 34.9 percent from the field. Horford and Joe Johnson totaled 11 and eight points, respectively, in the setback. Johnson, who is scheduled to become a free agent in the offseason, was particularly ineffective, making a mere 3-of-15 from the field for Atlanta, which is a dismal 0-13 all-time in conference semifinal series since the round was renamed as such in 1971. Like Johnson, Woodson, who has built the Hawks from a 13-win team in 2004-05 to a 53-win club this year, also has an expiring deal and seemed almost resigned to his team's fate on Sunday. "This team is still headed in the right direction," Woodson said Sunday. "If we can bring Joe back and I'm able to stay, we can complete the process we started six years ago. I sure hope they don't go back the other way and bust it up." Orlando also took three of four games from the Hawks in the regular season and won the Southeast Division by six games over Atlanta. The two teams have met just one time previously in the postseason, a 4-1 Magic win in the 1995-96 Eastern Conference semifinals. Game 5 in the series, if necessary, is set for Wednesday in Orlando.
<< Super Saver works at Churchill for Preakness
Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, with Calvin Borel in the saddle, put in a three-furlong workout Monday morning at Churchill Downs. The three-year-old colt covered the distance in :36 3\5 in one
<< Football player in Oregon dies of head injury
<< No place like home in this one - for visiting team
<< Lester, Red Sox avoid being swept by Yankees
<< Stitched up Nash leads Suns to sweep of Spurs
Lakers aim to finish off Jazz for third straight season >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Lakers always seem to have the answer for the Utah Jazz. If Phil Jackson's club solves the Jazz once more tonight, it will lock up its third straight trip to the Western Conference finals and send Utah pa
Bengals make it official with Pacman Jones >>
Pens try to end Habs' run in Game 6 >>
Bruins get shot to close out Flyers in Boston >>
Marlins take on Cubs at historic Wrigley Field >>
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. |
|
