Los Angeles Lakers (41-25, 15-18 away) head to Pepsi Center, Denver, CO to face Denver Nuggets (38-28, 20-13 home) in Game 3 (10:30 PM ET, May 4, 2012) of the seven game series. The best betting odds have the Lakers (33/4), while the Nuggets (2/9).
Speedy point guard Ty Lawson believes that the Nuggets back into their first-round series with the Lakers by running and better rebounding. And coach George Karl thinks that preventing Lakers center Andrew Bynum from dominating down low is what boils down to controlling the paint. On the other hand, playing with a lead for once could do the trick to turning this series around.
In falling into a 2-0 hole against the Lakers, the Nuggets have not even led for as much as one trip down the floor. That is why in Game 3 on Friday night at Pepsi Center, the Nuggets are hoping for a fast start. They hope to the boisterous crowd into the action early and jump out on top. This may provide them that much needed spark.
In Game 1, Denver was blown out as Bynum posted a triple-double with 10 points, 10 blocks and 13 rebounds in a 103-88 rout. Denver had the Lakers a little nervous at one point in Game 2. The Nuggets stormed back to make it a game, only to fade at the finish and fall 104-100, trailing by as many as 19 in the third quarter. That furious comeback is what they are trying to use as motivation for Game 3. In a series where Bynum and Kobe Bryant have been so difficult to defend, this has given them confidence.
The type of postseason Lawson would have envisioned has hardly turned in the same. Finishing with as many assists (2) as turnovers, he has struggled in the opener, before finding his rhythm in the second game with a team-high 25 points. Taking the action right to the big men, he has insisted that he needs to attack more against the Lakers
So far, Bryant and Bynum are having a fantastic series. In Game 2, scoring 38 points on a rather efficient 15-of-29 shooting, Bryant has put up a stellar performance in Game 2. Bryant looks almost fresher on the floor and he has missed eight of the last 10 regular-season games.
Pau Gasol is the player flying under the radar. Karl is quite concerned about the versatile center, as he has been doing a little bit of everything for the Lakers. Karl was asked if he thought they could climb their way back into the series with his team against the wall.
admin on May 4, 2012 | Filed Under NBA | Comments Off
The Phoenix Suns are staying in the thick of the race, as the Minnesota Timberwolves‘ playoff hopes continue to fade. On Monday night, Phoenix kicks off a four-game road trip seeking its fifth win in six games and trying to extend Minnesota’s season-worst losing streak to six. The match will be held at Target Center, Minneapolis, MN (9:00 PM ET, April 9, 2012). The betting odds have Phoenix Suns (4/6) and Minnesota Timberwolves (13/10). The odds are in favor of the Suns.
The Suns have since gone 17-8, climbing within one game of Denver for the eighth and final playoff berth, although they had the Western Conference’s third-worst record on Feb. 18. On March 8, the Timberwolves were tied for that spot, but they lost Ricky Rubio to a season-ending injury the following day and they have crumbled. The Timberwolves have dropped 13 of 17 to fall 5 1/2 back of eighth place, including that loss to the Lakers when their rookie point guard got hurt.
However, ne of their wins in that span came at Phoenix ended Minnesota’s nine-game losing streak in this series, but the Suns have won five straight at the Target Center while averaging 111.8 points. On Saturday, Phoenix had its highest-scoring game of the season, winning 125-105 over a Lakers team missing Kobe Bryant. In a loss at Denver, the Suns blew a late fourth-quarter lead the previous night, but that is their only defeat in five games this month.
Phoenix plays three road games in four nights against teams, which would all make the playoffs if the season ended today, after visiting Minnesota. Since replacing an injured Grant Hill in the starting lineup, Shannon Brown has provided a spark. On Saturday, he has averaged 17.6 in eight games and scored 24 points since becoming a starter, nearly double what his season average had been. The Timberwolves have not done nearly as well without Rubio.
J.J. Barea as shot 10 of 27 from the field and committed 10 turnovers, although J.J. Barea has taken over as the starting point guard in the last two games after missing six with a bruised quad, averaging 12.5 points and 7.5 assists. On Monday, Luke Ridnour had been starting but is likely to miss a third straight game with a sprained ankle. On Saturday, Michael Beasley returned after missing five games with a toe injury and scored 20 points, but Minnesota lost 99-90 in New Orleans. The Timberwolves have allowed an average of 107.5 points in their last five games.
admin on April 9, 2012 | Filed Under NBA | Comments Off
The Spanish world number two, Rafael Nadal needed almost three hours to defeat Tsonga 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 in a quarterfinal night match. He is chasing his first tournament win of the season. Nadal managed to save eight of 10 break point opportunities, although he struggled at times on his serve, failing to land a single ace. Tsonga dug deep, winning three straight games to force a decider, although Nadal served for the match at 5-4 in the second set.
Nadal broke the Frenchman in the ninth game of the third to lead 5-4 and survived 2 break points in the final game to progress to the semi-finals. The Spanish has reached the final in Miami three times. Nadal was within two points of victory in the second but then the towering Tsonga began his brave resistance, after winning his first set comfortably.
Tsonga broke and then claimed the set with a magnificent forehand return winner. This win was helped along by an untimely double-fault from Nadal. The Frenchman combined explosive shots, deft slices and glorious backhand work around the net to stay in touch with the Spaniard in the third set. Both the played showed some highly entertaining tennis. In the sixth game, Tsonga came close to breaking, but Nadal held his nerve and for all the ebbs and flows of what had become a real battle. Until the ninth game, the pair remained on serve.
Tsonga failed to keep a cross-court forehand in play and although the Frenchman staved off match points and Nadal made the decisive break. The second seed claimed the two hours, 49 minute contest only after his opponent dumped another forehand into the net.
Andy Murray made it through to the semi-finals in Miami by defeating Janko Tipsarevic with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory. Murray, the 2009 champion has set up a last-four clash with Nadal. For the Scot, it was a lengthy match and he battled illness. He complained he was struggling to keep fluids down. In the second set, his trainer Jez Green was called for assistance. Before receiving medical attention for what appeared to be a stomach problem, the world number four was trailing by a set and a break.
The Scot then broke the next service game from ninth seed Tipsarevic and went on to clinch the second set. He promptly turned the match around. Murray broke in the third game of the final set and held firm with his serve. His backhand was below par and who made 34 unforced errors.
The upcoming match between Murray and Nadal has some exciting odds for the Miami Open. Various sportbook have Murray 5/4, while Nadal 8/11.
admin on March 30, 2012 | Filed Under Tennis | Comments Off
On Tuesday, the No. 1 Vancouver Canucks will battle against the No. 2 San Jose Sharks in Game 5 in Vancouver (9 p.m. ET, Versus).
In NHL betting odds, the Canucks are -172 money line favorites against the Sharks.
Heading into Game 5, San Jose has its back against the wall. The Sharks need to win every game to avoid being eliminated in the Western Conference final for the second straight year as they are down 3-1 in the series against Vancouver. Vancouver will be in the Stanley Cup final with just one win. The Canucks now have a shot at returning to the Cup series for the first time in 17 years as they put a stranglehold on their series with San Jose.
The Canucks are applying offensive pressure on the opposing net. The Canucks could not get many quality shots on goal and that is the difference between game three and game four. The price per head Canucks fans can stop worrying about goaltender Roberto Luongo. It is obvious that Luongo has finally found a playoff groove that is conducive to winning, after his performance in game four. Despite giving up two goals, Luongo was brilliant in the third period of game four. The game was already decided and Luongo’s to win by that point.
For San Jose, the keys for game five in Vancouver are the same as they were in game three: stay out of the box or skate much better down two men. While the Sharks were 0 of 5 so a key could also be score on the power play if you are a San Jose backer, the Canucks were three of five on the power play. The Sharks stand at 3-11 all time in the Western Conference finals as they have simply struggled at this level in the playoffs. Especially after watching the last two games just tough to go against this trend.
admin on May 25, 2011 | Filed Under NHL | Comments Off
For the 2011 clay court tennis season the Internazionali BNL D’Italia marks the deep stages. The tournament in Rome which Scheduled to start on Monday, May 9th will be the second to last event before the Roland Garros (the French Open).
This year, a couple of guys have already proven their abilities on the clay courts of Europe. In Monte Carlo and Barcelona, Rafael Nadal has clinched back to back titles. In Munich, Nikolay Davydenko recently captured the title. In Estoril, Portugal, Juan Martin Del Potro won his second title of the year.
By winning the event in his hometown of Belgrade, Novak Djokovic made an impressive debut to his clay court season. Reaching the finals in Monte Carlo and Barcelona, Spaniard David Ferrer has been one of the hottest clay courters so far.
For the trophy in Rome, all of these names will be contenders. Roger Federer is one name that’s been awfully silent this clay court season though. Federer has performed poorly, by his own standards based on the previous years, heading into mid may. With little match experience Federer comes into Rome as the third seed. This season, Andy Murray has limited match experience on the clay as well. Until entering the ongoing tournament in Madrid, both Federer and Murray hadn’t played since their losses at Monte Carlo. By an early loss to Tomaz Bellucci in Madrid, in fact, Murray’s confidence has already been hurt.
Morale of Nadal, Djokovic, Federer, and Murray going into Rome next week as speaking of Madrid, the tournament will play a major factor in the shape. Nadal has made the smart decision to skip some clay court events this season to avoid injuries due to excessive match play as he will be the first seed in Rome. For this tournament on Monday, check out online free sports picks for odds.
admin on May 7, 2011 | Filed Under Tennis | Comments Off
This weekend, the Baltimore Orioles will travel to Chicago for a 4 game series in opposition to the White Sox. Even though their series could serve as a spring board for one of the teams to bounce back from their slow start, these teams are two of the worst teams in the league.
Both teams are long shots to win the World Series or a pennant in MLB Betting as they are in the basement of their respective divisions.
Although over the last 10 games or so, they’ve really crashed both actually looked good a short time ago. Many of the teams in their divisions have picked it up while they have been down as both teams are 2-8 in their last 10 games.
Even though the White sox have not played especially well in front of their home crowd this season, they will be the home team in this game. To this point they are 4-6 at home. to take advantage of their home field Chicago really needs to find a way which could help them get through bad stretches like the one they’ve been in lately.
Although their lineup has been relatively impotent to this point, the Orioles have a number of veteran hitters that they hoped would bolster their lineup. This season, only the Twins have scored fewer runs than the Orioles.
From their pitching staff the White Sox need some help. They have been extremely inconsistent and they have allowed more runs than all but one team in the American League while their pitchers have shown flashes of solid play.
For both teams to try to turn things around, this should be a good series.
admin on April 27, 2011 | Filed Under MLB | Comments Off
The New Orleans Hornets and the Dallas Mavericks will play in the middle of this week. These teams have both clinched spots in the Western Conference playoffs and they are gearing up to make a run towards the NBA Championship.
NBA basketball betting has Dallas at 8-1 to win the NBA championship this season.
The Mavericks are currently in the 3rd spot in the Western Conference standings and the Hornets are in the 7th spot. The Hornets are in the 7th spot in the standings, but could finish anywhere between the 6th spot and the 8th spot as the teams are all within one game of each other.
There is a decent chance that these teams will end up playing each other in the first round of the playoffs as the Mavericks will likely end up in the 2nd or 3rd spot in the standings and a win over the Hornets will likely improve their NBA playoff picks. This would actually be a favorable matchup for both teams. The Grizzlies and Blazers are much scarier for the top teams to face than the Hornets and the Mavericks are not nearly as intimidating as the Lakers or the Spurs.
This game should have a playoff type of atmosphere as both teams try to gain some momentum before the first round commences. Look for Chris Paul to begin to assert himself more offensively as the team will need him to carry even more of the scoring load during the playoffs.
The Mavericks need to find some help for Dirk Nowitzki. There have been times in his career that he has disappeared for stretches during the playoffs and they need someone to rely on in case he doesn’t come through.
admin on April 12, 2011 | Filed Under NBA | Comments Off
On Sunday the Detroit Red Wings will take on the Minnesota Wild in a nationally televised NHL matchup and NBC will broadcast the match at 5 pm ET.
With only six games remaining on their schedule, the Wild find themselves ten points out of the last playoff position the Western Conference. The Wild will more than likely find themselves disappointed and on the outside of the playoffs looking in after a good start to the season.
The Detroit Red Wings gear up for a long playoff runs for now as they will be looking to clinch another Central Division title on Sunday. The Red Wings will be looking to put together a complete game on Sunday as they prepare for the playoffs with a rash of recent uninspired performances. The Red Wings will have another crack at it on Sunday evening if they do not clinch the division title the night before in Nashville. With a victory over the Wild Detroit will also be looking to secure the number two seed in the Western Conference. By making for an exciting finish to the end of the year, right now San Jose trails the Wings by only one point.
The team will have to play much better than it has recently if Detroit hopes to have that number two seed. The Red Wings have seen injuries to several key players play a major role in their recent slump with a 5-3-2 record in their last ten games. To prepare for the physical nature of a playoff game the team will be trying to play a spirited contest on Sunday. In NHL Odds the Red Wings are at 8-1 to win the Stanley Cup.
admin on April 1, 2011 | Filed Under NHL | Comments Off
With Uncle Mo extending his lead while The Factor jumped five spots, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association released its latest three-year-old poll Monday.
In Kentucky Derby betting Odds, at +350 Uncle Mo is the early favorite.
At Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, the Kentucky Derby, the first of Horse Racing’s Triple Crown, takes place May 7 and NBC will broadcast the event at 5:30 pm ET.
Mike Repole owned Uncle Mo which won the Eclipse Award. The colt added 17 points in the latest NTRA balloting as he gained a top vote. The 2010 champion two-year-old received 19 first-place votes and 205 total points that is trained by Todd Pletcher.
At Aqueduct on April 9, Uncle Mo will likely make its next start in the $1 million Wood Memorial.
With one top vote and 160 points, Fountain of Youth Stakes winner Soldat continues in the second spot.
After its big win in the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park, the Factor moved up five places to third. The Factor picked up the remaining first-place vote and 133 points, who Trained by Bob Baffert.
In Horse Racing Odds, the Factor is at +500 to win the Kentucky Derby.
By garnering 116 points, San Felipe Stakes champ Premier Pegasus climbed one spot to fourth.
Dialed In (113), Stay Thirsty (101), Mucho Macho Man (94), To Honor and Serve (39), Flashpoint (38) and Jaycito (24) are completing the three-year-old poll.
admin on March 22, 2011 | Filed Under HORSES | Comments Off
Before they tackle the toughest and wildest half mile track on the circuit, the Jeff Byrd 500 on March 20, the NASCAR Sprint Cup series will rest up. The old Bristol may make a comeback for the Jeff Byrd 500 as the new concrete on the track is beginning to age.
The drivers that know the subtle nuances of driving the fast short track will have the edge as the cars that arrive with the best engine package. As the favorite over Jimmie Johnson (7-1) based on last August’s sweep of all three NASCAR events, Kyle Busch (5-1 in Auto Racing Odds) will go off. At Bristol, Kyle Busch has four wins in the last nine Cup events as well as three of the last four to his credit.
While Busch is +600, Johnson is the favorite to win the 2011 Sprint Cup Championship at +275 in NASCAR Odds.
Jeff Gordon, the other driver who has four wins on the track but has not won since 2002, will have a good day on Bristol. As the dominator on the Bristol half mile, Kurt Busch (10-1) preceded his brother. Three in a row, the older Busch won four of seven Bristol Cup races.
Tony Stewart (12-1), the other points leader should not be count out. As evidenced by his performance in Las Vegas, Stewart has a fast car. Even though the old dirt tracker has what it takes to run up front, Stewart’s last win at Bristol came in 2001.
Las Vegas winner Carl Edwards (8-1) is another driver to consider. Even though Edwards’ both wins came in the August event he has two wins at Bristol and he is still a solid pick at 8-1.
admin on March 12, 2011 | Filed Under Nascar | Comments Off
