Nowitzki, Mavs send Spurs to worst start in 35 years
Basketball Betting Lines
11/04/2008 - San Antonio, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dirk Nowitzki had 30 points, seven rebounds and three assists, while Jason Terry, in his first start of the year, added 29 points, six assists and three rebounds to lead the Dallas Mavericks in a 98-81 rout of the San Antonio Spurs at the AT&T Center.
Josh Howard had 14 points and 12 boards for the Mavs, who have alternated wins and losses in their first four games of the season. Jason Kidd chipped in nine points, 10 assists and eight boards in the win.
Tony Parker had 22 points for the Spurs, who fell to 0-3 on the season which is their worst start since the 1973-74 season, when the club started 0-4. Tim Duncan had 19 points and 15 boards in defeat. Roger Mason had 11 points off the bench and George Hill, making his NBA debut, had 11 points.
The Mavs led 23-16 after the first quarter.
A Parker three-point play pulled the Spurs to within three points with nine minutes left in the half. However, Dallas outscored San Antonio 26-11 to end the second stanza.
Nowitzki had 11 points and Terry nine on the surge that gave the visitors a 54-36 lead at the intermission.
The teams traded baskets and Dallas held its 18-point lead, 76-58, heading into the final frame.
With the game seemingly out of reach, the Spurs opened the fourth quarter on a 15-4 run to pull within 80-73 midway through the stanza. Hill had eight points for San Antonio on the surge, including a pair from the line that closed the scoring spree.
Dallas put any hope of a comeback for the home team to rest as it embarked on a 13-3 run following a pair from Nowitzki at the charity stripe. The talented German ended with nine points on the run and Terry supplied the other four. The output gave the Mavs a 93-76 lead with 3:12 left in regulation, which was more than enough to hold up through the final buzzer.
Game Notes
Dallas was 5-of-5 from the foul line and outrebounded San Antonio, 45-34...Mavs guard Jerry Stackhouse, who has been hampered by a foot problem, played 18 minutes...The Spurs had won three in a row against the Mavs coming in.
Vancouver, BC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Vancouver Canucks left wing Alex Burrows left Tuesday's game against the Nashville Predators late in the first period with an undisclosed injury. After dropping to the ice to block a shot by Dan Hamhu
<< Wallin boosts 'Canes over Leafs in OT
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Niclas Wallin scored 1:52 into overtime and the
Carolina Hurricanes bested the Toronto Maple Leafs, 5-4, at Air Canada Centre
to sweep a home-and-home set.
The Hurricanes posted a 6-4 win Sunday in Raleigh.
<< Fisher, Ottawa best Caps in OT
Ottawa, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mike Fisher's first goal of the season came with
39.9 seconds left in overtime, boosting Ottawa to a 2-1 victory over the
Washington Capitals.
Fisher also assisted on Dany Heatley's second-period goal f
<< Bell, Suns scorch Nets
East Rutherford, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Raja Bell had a game-high 22 points,
including a 6-of-6 performance from three-point range, and the Phoenix Suns
crushed the New Jersey Nets, 114-86.
Shaquille O'Neal had 18 points and six rebound
<< Islanders top Rangers behind MacDonald, short-handed tallies
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Joey MacDonald turned in a superlative effort
between the pipes, making 35 saves, and the New York Islanders edged the New
York Rangers, 2-1, at Madison Square Garden.
Nate Thompson and Richard Park each
Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ray Allen scored 29, including 11 straight Boston points in the fourth quarter, boosting the Celtics to a 103-99 victory over Houston, handing the Rockets their first loss of the season. Kevin Garnett ta
Coyotes douse Flames >>
Calgary, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ilya Bryzgalov made 27 saves and Ed
Jovanovski's first goal of the season proved to be the game-winner in
Phoenix's 4-2 victory over Calgary.
Shane Doan scored and recorded an assist, wh
Canucks' Luongo shuts out Predators >>
Vancouver, BC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kyle Wellwood had a pair of goals and
Roberto Luongo recorded his third shutout of the season, as the Vancouver
Canucks routed the Nashville Predators, 4-0, at General Motors Place.
Mason Raymond
Pronger's OT goal lifts Ducks over Kings >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chris Pronger's tally just 40 seconds into
the overtime session gave Anaheim a 1-0 victory over the punchless Los Angeles
Kings.
Jean-Sebastien Giguere recorded his second shutout of the season and 31st
Sharks remain perfect at home with win over Wild >>
San Jose, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jamie McGinn and Ryane Clowe scored 2:14 apart
early in the third period, and the Sharks piled 49 shots on net in a 3-1
victory over the Minnesota Wild to remain the lone unbeaten team at home this
season.
FOOTBALL BETTING
After all the trouble that’s ensued since Braylon Edwards allegedly punched one of LeBron James’ homeboys in the face at a club, the Cleveland Browns have sent away their last remaining player of worth to the New York Jets. This is a great move for Dirty Sanchez and all, but it’s even better for the Knicks. Now Donnie Walsh can say, “You get to haunt Braylon Edwards with your posse if you sign here!” next summer.
Putting that aside for a moment, the move is a clear indication that the new-look Jets are gunning for the Super Bowl this year. I don’t think that New York thought that Dirty Sanchez was going to be such a rock star. With a 75.2 passer rating that was killed against the Jets, Sanchez is doing an admirable job of managing games and putting the Jets in a position to win. The defense has been the major story in New York thus far, but the acquisition of Braylon Edwards makes this offense loaded with talent that can dent any defense…as long as Dirty Sanchez continues his meteoric rise.
Thus far, Edwards has been a non-factor in the NFL piling up just 139 receiving yards on 10 catches. He has yet to find the endzone, and with the Browns mired in the most unsexy quarterback controversy of all time (Anderson vs. Quinn...yawn), there going nowhere fast. Edwards is two seasons removed from a career year which saw him catch 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns when the Browns were the spread killing monsters of 2007. In 2008, injuries slowed the receiver down to just 873 yards and three touchdowns though he played in all 16 games.
So that being said, we really don’t know if Braylon Edwards is just a flash in the pan, or a legit threat. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he is a prototypical receiver. But he’s also shown a strange, and unwarranted, talent for dropping passes. Lining up opposite Jericho Cotchery, a speed demon with 23 catches, 356 yards and a single touchdown, may give Braylon the open looks he needs. A change of scenery may also rejuvenate the star receiver.
In return, the Browns will receive Chansi Stuckey, online football betting a special teams player you’ve never heard of and a pair of draft picks. That’s a tall order for a guy whose only real value right now is in his name, and it shows no promise to the Browns that they can rebuild around those acquisitions. Braylon was the only reason to hope for the Browns to go 3-14 SU this year. Without him, they don’t have a single guy on offense that can scare any team.
For the Jets, it’s a response to the pounding that they took at the hand of the Saints. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington have averaged around 4.0 yards per carry each on the ground, but striking a fair balance between the passing and rushing attacks in New York has been a struggle. You have to believe that the trio of Dustin Keller, Jericho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards will give Sanchez the weapons he needs to unleash through the air. Theoretically, that would open up holes for the rushing game. But the proposed public option health care plan works in theory too. We need to see the proof in the pudding before we start loading up mega bucks on the New York Jets to take the AFC.
The one wrinkle in this whole thing is that Braylon could very well be suspended by the league for disciplinary action due to his “brawl” with LeBron’s friend. If that’s the case, the Jets may have to bench him for a few games leaving them with a somewhat depleted receiving corps for a few games. Also, this is a guy who gets in fights with people at clubs. New York may not be the best place for him. Just sayin’.
The Jets have a long week before they meet the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football Betting in a virtual pick ‘em game. Braylon’s excess baggage may be a distraction, and his curiously low production may be what we should be expecting of him overall, but for the Jets, taking a chance to strike gold is well worth it. At the end of the year, they can simply just blame it on their rookie quarterback.
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Academy Award Betting Odds for Best Picture Offer Great Value
If there is any category that is not an obvious win for any one nominee in this year's Academy Awards, it would be for Best Picture. Sure the Departed is a 5/7 favorite, but that's hardly anything when we look at Helen Mirren and her "out-of-reach" 1 to 40 odds (which means you would win a whopping $1 for every $40 bet).
For value, take a look at MySportsbook.com Oscars betting odds on my personal favorite, The Queen - a remarkable 12 to 1 long shot. The film hasn't won any pre-awards for Best Picture (compared to The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine), but there is a tremendous following and it is a strong enough film to warrant a surprise win.
TV Guide advises Oscar watchers should be cautioned not to discount the drama "Babel" with its strong social themes about overcoming communication gaps among people of different cultures.
"While 'Babel' lost several guild awards to 'Sunshine' and 'Departed,' it still enjoys loyal support, and historically Oscar voters favor dramas with social messages over comedies like 'Sunshine' and violent crime movies like 'Departed'."
"It hasn't done well in the guilds, which means there isn't much industry support," said Tom O'Neil of awards site TheEnvelope.com, "But several critics are expecting it to win, and that gets my attention." Babel had 7 to 2 odds at press time.
Who is to say independently produced Little Miss Sunshine won't be this year's Crash. Last year, Crash won for Best Motion Picture, shocking those who bet on gay cowboy flick, Brokeback Mountain, as the favorite to win.
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