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Knicks limp into Houston to face RocketsBasketball Betting Lines01/28/2012 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A Carmelo Anthony-less New York team limps into South Texas on Saturday to face off with the red-hot Houston Rockets. The Knicks lost for the eighth time in nine games and fell to 1-2 on a four- game road trip Saturday in Miami when Dwyane Wade sparkled in his return to the lineup, scoring 28 points, as the Heat withstood a bevy of three-pointers from New York to earn a 99-89 victory over the Knicks. With Anthony sidelined because of thumb, wrist and ankle issues, the Knicks tried to beat the Heat with the long distance shot. They were on target, going 18-of-43 from beyond the arc, but were just 12-of-41 on two- point attempts. Bill Walker was the offensive catalyst, going 7-of-10 from long distance for a 21-point night, but New York was outscored 42-14 in the paint en route to the loss. "I'm glad for him because we need him and he's got to keep improving," Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni said of Walker. "He needs to keep working out his body. He could be the outside guy once we get Carmelo back and give us some more scoring." Amare Stoudemire, who had 12 points in the game, was 0-for-4 from the field in the first quarter, part of a 2-for-14 effort from inside the arc in the stanza for New York. "They were keying in on him, but other guys were open," D'Antoni said. "That's why they were shooting a lot of shots. He was great because he was just playing the game. He didn't force anything." Toney Douglas scored 16 and Landry Fields 14 for the Knicks, who also got 12 rebounds from Tyson Chandler. Anthony will remain on the sidelines tonight and will be reevaluated from there. The Rockets, meanwhile, bounced back from their first loss in two weeks to trounce Washington on Friday, 103-76, despite playing without leading scorer Kevin Martin (plantar fasciitis right foot). Chase Budinger, playing for the first time in four games, scored 21 points and pulled down eight rebounds as the Rockets used a strong second-half performance to take down the Wizards. Luis Scola added 19 points and eight rebounds for Houston, which has won eight of its last nine games. "Chase made shots for us tonight, played wonderful defense, really moved his feet well, rebounded the ball, just played really well," Rockets head coach Kevin McHale said. Martin, who traditionally dominates New York scoring 28.1 ppg in his last seven outings against the Knicks, is questionable for tonight's contest. Houston has won four straight vs. New York overall, sweeping the home-and-home series over the past two seasons.
<< Sixers resume lengthy homestand against struggling Pistons
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia 76ers will resume a season-long seven-game homestand tonight by welcoming the struggling Detroit Pistons to Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers improved to 2-1 on the residency Friday when Lou Williams scored 1
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<< Hornets trying to trade Kaman
<< Bryans dethroned in Aussie doubles final
<< Historical games part of Maine's 2012 schedule
Jimmer returns to SLC when Kings visit Jazz >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jimmer Fredette will return to Utah Saturday as the Sacramento Kings attempt to put the brakes on a three-game skid when they open up a brief two-game road trip against the Jazz. The Kings were blown out in their last enco
Grizzlies finish road trip in the desert vs. Suns >>
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Wizards try to conjure up a road win in Charlotte >>
Braves and Bluejays mix it up in MVC action >>
Horse Betting(This is an update of a sportsbook for the May 4th issue of ESPN The Magazine). The Kentucky Derby's post-position draw happened on Wednesday. And, as is always the case, shortly afterwards, a buzz raced around Churchill Downs. It was a low rumble at first, nothing that the squares in the mint julep crowd pick up right away. But by the time the sun set over the twin spires, the chatter was impossible to ignore. Everyone -- sharps, trainers, owners -- was talking about one thing: the wise guy horse, the pre-draw long shot us mopes didn't have on our radar until it was too late. "You think you're hearing the scoop," says handicapper Lane Gold. "Then you get to the window, the odds are short, and you missed it."
Recognizing a wise-guy horse early is as hard as picking a Derby bonnet. That's because handicappers don't like hype (see ya, I Want Revenge). They want Thoroughbreds who look good losing prep races like the Santa Anita Derby. They eye horses who ate up the field after starting wide or made an easy transition from synthetic tracks to dirt. They look for ponies who showed muscle gain race to race and those who ran hard after several weeks' rest. "A wise guy," says John Avello, a bookmaker at Wynn Las Vegas, "looks for a horse who can improve." When I first wrote Horse Betting for The Mag, which I turned in a three weeks before Wednesday's draw, I predicted these three horses had wise guy potential: CHOCOLATE CANDY (15-1 in mid-April, currently 20-1 according to Avello): His second-place finish at Santa Anita, following a seven-week layoff, proved two things: He can run after resting, and -- by losing a high-profile prep race -- he wouldn't be overhyped. DESERT PARTY (15-1; 15-1): He was upset in the UAE Derby by a horse he had beaten twice. The public remembers his loss, but the wise guys his wins. PIONEEROF THE NILE (8-1; 4-1): The big favorite at Santa Anita struggled to win, so he initially got less hype than Quality Road and I Want Revenge. You may have noticed that the odds on Pioneerof the Nile have been cut in half, from 8-1 to 4-1. Which means the wise guys took a shine to him long before the post-position draw. But, to be honest, this is one of those years with four elite horses getting everyone's attention, squares and sharps alike. "You're not gonna get a lot of chatter about a horse that isn't in that group, which includes Pioneer, I Want Revenge, Dunkirk and Friesan Fire," Avello told me Wednesday. "We don't have a group of horses behind those top four who look like real legit contenders." Come Derby week, the final two elements in picking a wise guy horse are how he's working out and what gate he's coming out of. (By the way, picking a Preakness favorite is a whole different bale of hay, partially based on how horses finish in the Derby. You can see my analysis of who has the best shot at Pimlico on Insider Sunday morning.) Well, early in the week I Want Revenge, Pioneerof the Nile and Friesan Fire were working out better than anyone. Some thought Friesan Fire, currently 6-1, might have run too fast, burning a five-furlong run in :57 4/5. "When you are running that fast you have the sense that it took something out of him," says Gold. "The Derby is longer than any horse has run, and if they need that extra surge you worry they won't have it because they burned it in the workout." But, Gold points out, Friesan Fire's trainer is Larry Jones, Two years ago his horse Hard Spun did a five-eighths workout in :57 3/5 and then went on to finish second, behind Street Sense, in the Derby. "Every trainer has different methods," says Gold. "And clearly he knows what he's doing." Now, as for starting position, Gold says to remember this: Churchill Downs traditionally has 14 starting gates. For the Derby, it brings out auxiliary gates and between the original 14th gate and the new 15th gate, there is a little more space than there is between gates 1-14. "That 15 position will give you a precious second or two to sort out what's happening to your inside," says Gold. "Sixteen is also okay because you can follow the horse in front of you." Dunkirk, one of the race favorites, is coming out of gate 15. In 16 is Baffert's Pioneerof the Nile. I Want Revenge drew 13, where Smarty Jones won from in 2004, and Friesan Fire picked the sixth position. "He doesn't have a lot of speed to the inside of him," says Gold. "So he will get a clear shot to be near the front." All the jibber-jabber means this: Pioneerof the Nile has leapfrogged from 8-1 to being the second favorite, along with Dunkirk, behind I Want Revenge. Meanwhile, Friesan Fire, with a good trainer, a strong week of training and a decent post position, is still at 6-1. "By Saturday, it's possible he could go from fourth to the favorite," says Gold. In other words, meet Friesan Fire, your 2009 wise guy horse. "Now," says Avello, "it's time for action." To visit this horse betting site go to MySportsbook.com for all your horse racing betting needs. Barry Bonds Watch: Giants Slugger Says He'll Be Back With only 21 home runs standing between him and Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds is indeed planning on coming back for more in 2007. At least, that's what his agent told the Los Angeles Times. "Barry's going to play in 2007," Jeff Borris of Beverly Hills Sports Council told the Times on Tuesday. "I've had many discussions with Barry and he's going to play. My intentions are to see to it he's in a big-league uniform next season. Those are my marching orders." Contract negotiations could get started as early as next week. Let's see which team has the deeper pockets. Will MLB baseball betting lines despite allegations of steroid use? Bet On It at www.MySportsbook.com . Get all your baseball betting lines, MLB lines and MLB team props at the My Sportbook. To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your baseball sportsbook needs. |
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