Too Many NBA GM's Score Low Grades In FA Class
Basketball Betting Lines
07/09/2010 -
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - I'm wondering how many general managers did
their homework in preparation for the greatest free agent class in NBA history,
considering how many ludicrous contracts were given out. Apparently the inmates
are running the asylum with the kind of money a number of mediocre-to-average
players are taking to the bank with their new deals.
Let's grade the significant signings up to this point.
MIAMI HEAT: Dwayne Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh (financials TBA)
A ten-year old could have figured out it was the right move to sign these
three, but you have to give Pat Riley credit for making it happen. Grade: A
CHICAGO BULLS: Carlos Boozer, 5 years, $75 million
This is an upgrade at the power forward position for Chicago, but with Taj
Gibson having such a good rookie year, I don't know if I would've spent this
much money on Boozer. Grade: B
ATLANTA HAWKS: Joe Johnson 6 years, $124 million
Maybe Atlanta thought it was signing Magic Johnson. Speaking of magic, it's
amazing how Joe Johnson's disappearing act in the playoffs led to a max
contract. John Salmons would have been a very viable alternative for the Hawks.
Grade: F
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: David Lee, 6 years, $80 million
Golden State gave up a talented young player in Anthony Randolph in the sign-
and-trade to get Lee, who puts up good numbers but doesn't really impact games.
Grade: C
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES: Rudy Gay, 5 years, $81.6 million
Memphis finished 40-42 and failed to make the playoffs with Gay last season, so
why pay him superstar-type money? I know the Grizzlies would have faced a
public relations nightmare to let Gay walk so soon after trading Pau Gasol, but
you eventually pay the price for vastly overcompensating a player. Grade: D
MILWAUKEE BUCKS: John Salmons, 5 years, $39 million
This is clearly the steal of the free agent market so far. Salmons averaged
19.9 ppg in his 30-game stint with Milwaukee, putting up better numbers than
the likes of Paul Pierce and Rudy Gay. This is called getting a bang for your
buck, or should I say Bucks. Grade: A
BOSTON CELTICS: Paul Pierce, 4 years, $61 million; Ray Allen, 2 years, $20
million; Jermaine O'Neal, 2-years, $11.5 million
Boston might regret giving four years to Pierce, who is 33, and two years to
Allen, who will turn 35 later this month. Grade: B-
DALLAS MAVERICKS: Dirk Nowitzki, 4 years, $80 million; Brendan Haywood, 6
years, $55 million
The Nowitzki signing was a no-brainer, but giving a 30-year old role player
like Haywood a six-year deal for that kind of money makes no sense. Grade: C
NEW YORK KNICKS: Amar'e Stoudemire, 5 years, $100 million
Donnie Walsh was banking on the signing of Stoudemire leading to another big
free agent coming to the Big Apple, but the Knicks came up empty. This is too
much of an investment for someone who's not a top-10 player. Grade: C
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES: Darko Milicic, 4 years, $20 million
This signing proves why America is the land of opportunity. Where else could
one of the biggest busts in the history of the NBA draft earn such a big pay
day? Grade: I (Ignorant and Incomprehensible)
LOS ANGELES LAKERS: Steve Blake, 4 years, $16 million
As important as Derek Fisher was in last season's playoff run to the
championship, Kobe Bryant had to guard the likes of Russell Westbrook and Rajon
Rondo. The problem with the Blake signing is he's a worse defender than Fisher,
and doesn't have his big-game resume. Grade: F
ORLANDO MAGIC: Chris Duhon, 4 years, $15 million
Orlando adds yet another player who doesn't make other players better, along
with shooting 39% for his career. Grade: D
QUICK DRIBBLES
Lance Stephenson looks like he'll be one of the big steals of the draft. The
former Cincinnati guard, who was selected with the eighth pick in the second
round and number 40 overall by the Pacers, has really stood out in the NBA's
Orlando Summer League. He's got size, athleticism, and good basketball skills
along with an excellent feel for the game and tremendous on-court confidence.
The Nets also look like they got a really good player late in the first round
in Damion James. He might even be more NBA-ready than teammate Derrick Favors,
who was picked third overall.
<< Report: Yankees close to acquiring Lee
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Yankees are reportedly close to
acquiring pitcher Cliff Lee from the Seattle Mariners.
According to the New York Post, the Yankees would send prized catching
prospect Jesus Montero to Se
<< Modell: Cleveland fans will 'carry on' post-James
CLEVELAND (AP) -LeBron James' decision to abandon Cleveland is drawing comparisons to Art Modell. But the man who moved the Browns to Baltimore in 1995 says the situations are different.Modell tells Cleveland radio station WTAM that ``you can't equa
<< Mavs lock up C Haywood
Dallas, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Dallas Mavericks reportedly agreed to terms
with center Brendan Haywood on a multi-year contract.
According to multiple reports, the deal is worth $55 million over six years.
The 29-year-old started the 20
<< Clippers add Foye, Gomes
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Clippers have come to terms
on contracts with forward Ryan Gomes and guard Randy Foye.
The Los Angeles Times reports Foye's deal is for two years and more than $8
million. Gomes' deal is
<< Report: Heat clear more cap space, send Beasley to Minnesota
Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Miami Heat have apparently sent the No. 2
overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, Michael Beasley, to the Minnesota
Timberwolves for a 2011 second-round pick and a swap of future first-round
picks.
Calling Canuck fans everywhere >>
Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The word "frenzy" is often used to describe
the NHL's free agency period, but sitting here today on July 9th, the word
"flop" might be more appropriate in describing the excitement level amongst
hockey fans.
Coroner: Turpin died of self-inflicted gunshot >>
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -A coroner's report says former Kentucky basketball star Melvin Turpin died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.The report Friday gave no other information about the investigation, including whether Turpin left a suicide note. Faye
Bruins sign Stuart to one-year deal >>
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Bruins have signed defenseman Mark
Stuart to a one-year contract.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
Stuart has spent his entire career with the Bruins, who made the Rochester,
Minnesota nat
Record crowd watched Clijsters beat Serena >>
Brussels, Belgium (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The largest crowd to ever watch a tennis
match saw Belgian Kim Clijsters beat Wimbledon champion Serena Williams in an
exhibition bout Thursday in Brussels.
The former world No. 1 Clijsters topped the c
2010 FBS Positional Analysis: Tight Ends >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The collegiate tight end has traditionally
received little-to-no fanfare, except for the truly exceptional in that
category. However, the position remains a quarterback's best friend. Whether it
is serving as
Why Sports Betting is so much fun?
Betting Sports
The most popular sports to bet on are NFL and college football along with NBA and NCAA basketball. There are multiple betting opportunities within those sports, beginning with the basic wager on a game’s outcome (also called betting the side). College Football Point spreads are used in both football and basketball in an attempt to even the attractiveness of each team in a match-up. ( See our article detailing how and why point spreads are made)
But you could also simply bet on the money line, or straight-up winner of the game. Oddsmakers use the money line so that more money must be risked on the favorite or expected winner and less money on the underdog to balance the action on both sides. While money line gambling is an attractive option for football and basketball bettors who only care about picking a winner, it is the primary option for those bettors who enjoy wagering on MLB baseball and individual sports like boxing, tennis, golf and racing events such as NASCAR. ( More details on playing the Money Line)
Points (or Runs) Scored
Another bet across all major team sports including football, basketball, baseball, and hockey involves wagering on the amount of scoring in a game, called an Over/Under total. For example, the Over/Under total on Super Bowl XXXIX was 48, which means a bettor could wager whether there would be more or less than 48 points scored by both teams combined in the game.
The final score of Super Bowl XXXIX was 24-21; the scoring of both teams added up to 45, which means the game went Under . So Under bettors won, and Over bettors lost.
Future Bets
Sports gambling doesn’t end there. Betting sides and totals are the most common wagers available everywhere, but many sportsbooks also offer future bets on big upcoming events like who will win next year’s Super Bowl and what movie will win Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
The main advantage of futures is that you can get appealing odds by betting far in advance. For example, with NFL futures you often can get much higher odds on a team by betting before the season even starts. A NFL future bet on a team to win the Super Bowl odds might be 20/1 in the preseason; but by midseason, their odds might decrease to 10/1 if they turn out to be legitimate championship contenders.
Proposition Bets (or Prop Bets)
Proposition bets , also known as prop bets, focus upon the more exotic aspects of a game and are generally reserved for events that are widely televised. Prop bets are extremely popular when it comes to wagering on the Super Bowl in Las Vegas. The Imperial Palace Casino’s sportsbook is well-known for the enormous number of prop bets offered. For example, you can bet on:
- What team will win the coin toss
- What player will score the game’s first touchdown
- What will be the exact margin of victory
Types of Bets
Straight Bet
Involves one individual wager, whether it be on your team to cover the point spread, to win the game straight-up on the money line, or to go over/under the total.
A parlay is a single bet that links together two or more individual wagers and is dependent on all of those wagers winning together. The benefit of the parlay bet is much better odds than placing each individual bet separately since the difficulty of hitting it is much higher.
Standard payoffs on a two-team parlay are 13/5; while a three-teamer pays 6/1; and a four-teamer 10/1.
Parlay cards are also fairly common in sportsbooks and popular with bettors, as they are released early in the week with set odds that do not change in return for a slightly lower payoff.
Round Robin Betting
Adventurous bettors who enjoy betting parlays sometimes put together a series of parlays called a Round Robin . A three-team Round Robin consists of one three-team parlay and three two-team parlays. For example, Joe likes teams A,B,C – with a Round Robin he has a three-teamer with ABC, and two-teamers with AB, AC, and BC.
Similar to a parlay, a teaser bet is a single bet that links together two or more individual wagers, but is different in that the point spread is adjusted to your advantage on each individual wager. In exchange for the points, you get less of a return on your bet compared to a parlay. For example, a 6-point teaser would move the line on a 7-point favorite from -7 to -1, meaning the team would have to cover 6 less points. Each of the individual wagers must win or the bet is a loss.
These are the main types of sports bets available today. But as sports betting continues to grow, sportsbooks will continue to develop new and creative ways to bet. We’ll continue to track these changes to the sports gambling landscape, so check back often and we’ll tell you all about it!
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs.
Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson
JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.
Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.
MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .
''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''
Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.
He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.
''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''
Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.
Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.
With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.
Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com
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