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Bobcats make a stop in HoustonBasketball Betting Lines04/09/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Fresh off securing the first playoff berth in franchise history, the Charlotte Bobcats get back to work in south Texas when they face off with the Houston Rockets. D.J. Augustin made a key three-pointer with 15.8 seconds left on Wednesday, as the Bobcats clinched the postseason spot with a 104-103 victory over the New Orleans Hornets. Augustin ended with 14 points for the Bobcats, who sit seventh in the Eastern Conference and will be heading to the playoffs for the first time due to their win and Toronto's loss to Boston. The Bobcats entered the league as an expansion team during the 2004-05 season. Stephen Jackson donated 29 points while Tyson Chandler chipped in 16 points and 10 boards for Charlotte, which came into Wednesday with an 0-5 all-time mark in the Big Easy. "I'm happy for our fans. I'm happy for our franchise. I'm a coach. I always say celebrate the wins because the losses hurt," Bobcats head coach Larry Brown said. "I'm happy with the accomplishment, but a little angry with what went on in that second half." The Rockets, meanwhile, are the only NBA team playing above .500 basketball that won't be making a trip to the playoffs but Rick Adelman's team played the role of spoiler in its most recent outing against Utah on Wednesday. Kevin Martin and Aaron Brooks each scored 28 points in that one to lead Houston past the playoff-contending Jazz, 113-96, at Toyota Center. The Jazz entered the game in the second spot in the Western Conference and tumbled all the way to fifth. "You know they're playing for something at this time of year, and I think that just shows the character of this team," Martin said. "We're out of the playoffs and we come out here and scrap. So that's definitely a positive thing for us." In addition to Martin and Brooks, Luis Scola helped Houston take the win by posting 24 points. Charles Hayes had 18 rebounds for the Rockets, who have won two in a row. The victory also made Adelman the 11th coach in NBA history to record 900 career wins. "I've been fortunate, I've had four [coaching] situations and three of them were great situations," Adelman said. "Sometimes you get fortunate in that way. It's either that or you get really old and you're coaching a long time, and I'm probably both. I'm glad to see it with our guys this year because we've been struggling so much." The Bobcats topped the Rockets in Charlotte earlier this season and will be shooting for the home-and-home sweep of the series for the first time since 2004-05.
<< Bulls resume playoff push in New Jersey vs. lowly Nets
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Bulls are still alive for the final postseason spot in the Eastern Conference and will hit the road for two straight games starting with Friday's bout against the New Jersey Nets at the IZOD Center. Chicago is
<< Hawks host Raptors in key Eastern Conference matchup
<< Celtics jockey for playoff position against Wizards
<< Cavs and Pacers clash at the "Q"
<< Heat shoot for 10th straight win; face Pistons
Ginobili, Spurs welcome Grizzlies to Alamo City >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Star swingman Manu Ginobili got his new contract and he now hopes to help his San Antonio Spurs free themselves of a log-jam in the Western Conference playoff standings tonight when the Memphis Grizzlies visit the Ala
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Online Sportsbook Football BettingColts give the ‘D’ its dueThe Indianapolis Colts know that winning the Super Bowl last season put a huge target on their backs, and they expect opponents to go all-out to knock them from the top of the mountain. They’ll get their first test from the New Orleans Saints this Thursday night. The defending champs had nothing but good things to say about the New Orleans defense this past week, praising their opponents’ pass rush and run-stopping abilities. "They play very aggressively," head coach Tony Dungy told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "They play a lot of man-to-man coverage, and they come after you. They have good pass rushers, and they're going to try to pressure us, I'm sure." Both center Jeff Saturday and quarterback Peyton Manning gave New Orleans’ front four props, admitting keeping guys like Will Smithand Charles Grant contained would be a tall task for the offensive line. New Orleans ranked second in total defense during the preseason at a sportsbook, allowing just under 233 yards per game. Last season, the defense finished 11th in the league after giving up 307.3 yards and 20.1 points per contest. Not so sound on the ground If Indianapolis' efficient offense has a weakness it has to be its running attack. The Colts one-two-punch of Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai is no longer, leaving the bulk of the carries to Addai, the second-year back out of LSU. Former Saskatchewan Roughrider Kenton Keith was named Addai’s backup this week after beating out DeDe Dorsey for the second-string position. Indy has only three backs on the roster right now, including fullback Luke Lawton, and coach Dungy is aware of the thinness of his ground game. Sports Betting lines on the game can be found at BettingExpress.com “We’ll continue to look. Luke Lawton’s done a good job for us too. So probably getting a third true tailback is something that we’d like to do,” Dungy told the Indiana Tribune-Star. Last season, Addai rushed for over 1,000 yards in his rookie campaign and scored seven touchdowns on the ground. Brees says bring it on Opening the season on the road against the defending Super Bowl champions is not the way most teams would like to kick off their year – unless you’re the New Orleans Saints or their quarterback Drew Brees. This internet Sportsbooks had the Saints as the favorites. Brees told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that he is excited to get the regular season started and the Colts are a great challenge for him and his teammates. The 28-year-old QB, entering his second season with the Saints, is expecting a wild environment in the RCA Dome this Thursday when the franchise celebrates its 2007-2007 championship. Brees said he sees the opening game scheduling as an honor and a testament to how well New Orleans did last season. The Saints missed facing the Colts in the Super Bowl by one game, losing to the Chicago Bearsin the NFC Championship game. "I mean, people think we can hang with these guys," Brees told reporters. "Even if they didn't, it wouldn't matter what they thought because as a team we're very confident. We know what we can do. We're not satisfied where we finished the season last year. And we've been looking forward to this opportunity for a long time." SportsBooks ready for a shootout Oddsmakers are preparing for some fireworks this Thursday when the NFL season kicks off. online Sportsbooks have Thursday’s total set at a whopping 52 points, accounting for two of the league’s most explosive offenses. “This is like must-see TV,” Saints cornerback and former Colt Jason David told the Baton Rouge Advocate. “It’s two exciting offenses with great players. You’ve got a lot of star power on offense. At any given time a big play can happen. If I was a fan, I wouldn’t miss a snap.” New Orleans, who ranked No.1 in total offense last season, can go blow-for-blow with the Colts’ attack. Head coach Sean Payton’s offensive schemes will get even better production out of Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and receiver Marques Colston now that they’ve each had a season of playing together under their belts. The Saints and Colts were the top two passing teams in the NFL last year, but while Indianapolis managed to put up almost 27 points per game, New Orleans struggled to capitalize on their efforts. The Saints ranked fifth in points per game. “Yards are great,” running backDeuce McAllister told reporters, “but to be able to score more touchdowns would be important for us.” |
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