Wednesday's NBA betting news and notes
Wed, Mar 7, 2007
By Associated Press
Cleveland at Detroit (7:30 p.m. EST). The Cavaliers trail the Pistons by three games for the Central Division lead.
STARS
Tuesday
-Rashard Lewis, SuperSonics, made the go-ahead 3-pointer with 4.8 seconds left and Seattle beat New York 100-99.
-Mark Blount, Timberwolves, hit three straight 3-pointers in the final 2:20 of regulation and Minnesota defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in double overtime 117-107.
-Kevin Martin, Kings, had 27 points, including a key three-point play late in the fourth quarter that helped Sacramento defeat Indiana 102-98.
SWEET 16
Dallas has a 16-game winning streak and a playoff berth after its 102-89 victory over New Jersey on Tuesday night. The Mavs have won 23 in a row at home and are a league-best 51-9, with only two losses since Dec. 12.
NOT ENOUGH
Stephon Marbury scored 40 points, but missed a free throw with 0.9 seconds left and New York lost to Seattle 100-99 Tuesday night. ... Kobe Bryant scored 40 points for the first time since Jan. 31, his longest 40-point drought of the season, and added 13 rebounds and eight assists in the Los Angeles Lakers' 117-107 double-overtime loss at Minnesota. But he managed just three points in the two overtimes.
DOMINATION
San Antonio beat Portland for the eighth straight time and 15th in the last 16 meetings after holding on for a 99-94 victory on Tuesday night.
MILESTONE
Marcus Camby blocked six shots and reached 1,500 for his career in Denver's 106-91 win over New Orleans on Tuesday night.
SLUMPING
Indiana has lost six straight following Tuesday night's 102-98 defeat at Sacramento.
ONE DIMENSIONAL
Toronto lost for the first time this season when shooting better than 50 percent in Tuesday night's 129-109 defeat at Washington. The Raptors shot 52 percent, but were outscored 33-10 in second-chance points while producing a season-low 27 rebounds. The Wizards' 129 points topped the season-high Toronto allowed in its last game, a 120-97 loss at Cleveland on Saturday.
MORE DETAILS
Sacramento forward Ron Artest slapped a woman's face and grabbed her repeatedly, causing visible injuries, according to a sheriff's report made public Tuesday. Artest was arrested Monday after a woman inside his home in a Sacramento suburb called 911 and said she had been assaulted. In a portion of the 911 tape released by authorities, the woman described injuries to her hand and leg. The report also said Artest took a phone from the woman the first time she tried to call 911.
ON THE MEND
Dwyane Wade started rehabilitating his dislocated left shoulder Tuesday, a piece of good news for the Miami Heat. Jason Kapono, though, may be gone for a while - adding to the team's seasonlong list of injuries. Kapono, the NBA's leading 3-point shooter at 51.3 percent, will miss an ''indefinite'' number of games after being diagnosed with a high left ankle sprain, Heat coach Pat Riley said. ... Boris Diaw is expected back in the Phoenix starting lineup Wednesday night when the Suns play Charlotte. The versatile, 6-foot-8 Frenchman has missed nine games because of back spasms. ...
SIDELINED
Minnesota defensive stopper Trenton Hassell missed Tuesday night's game against the Los Angeles Lakers with a sprained left ankle.
SPEAKING
''I hate to see that happen to anybody. He deserved to make both of those free throws because he played a hell of a game tonight.'' - Seattle's Ray Allen on New York guard Stephon Marbury, who scored 40 points, but missed a free throw with 0.9 seconds left to give the SuperSonics a 100-99 win on Monday night.
Diaw says he's ready to play Wednesday
Tue, Mar 6, 2007
By Associated Press
PHOENIX -- Boris Diaw is expected back in the Phoenix starting lineup Wednesday night when the Suns play the Charlotte Bobcats.
The versatile, 6-foot-8 Frenchman has missed nine games because of back spasms but practiced on Tuesday and pronounced himself ready to return.
''I'm ready to go,'' he said. ''I've been waiting for a month now. I had a little pain, but it's the kind of pain I can play through.''
Coach Mike D'Antoni said Diaw's absence has hurt the team's fast-paced, pass-oriented style, because the forward is the team's second-best playmaker behind Steve Nash.
St. John's top scorer won't play Wednesday
Tue, Mar 6, 2007
The St. John’s Red Storm will not have their leading scorer and rebounder, Lamont Hamilton, for their opening Big East tournament game Wednesday against the Marquette Golden Eagles.
Hamilton injured his left knee in Sunday’s win over the Providence Friars and appears to be done for the season. The 6-foot-9 center is averaging 13.4 points and 6.5 rebounds in 30 games this season.
“This is no way for him to finish his career,” St. John’s coach Norm Roberts told the New York Post. “There’s no explaining something like this. It just isn’t fair.”
The Nuggets will be without Carmelo Anthony tonight
By Associated Press
For one night at least, the Denver Nuggets will have to do without their star forward in their push for a playoff spot.
Carmelo Anthony will not be with the Nuggets as they visit the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday.
Anthony, who leads the NBA with 30.2 points per game, is not traveling with the team so that he can be with his fiancee, actress La La Vazquez, for the birth of their first child.
"I'm not going to Golden State. Straight to the hospital tonight," he said after Tuesday's 106-91 win over the New Orleans Hornets. "She is fine right now. I don't think anything is going to happen tonight."
By Associated Press
For one night at least, the Denver Nuggets will have to do without their star forward in their push for a playoff spot.
Carmelo Anthony will not be with the Nuggets as they visit the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday.
Anthony, who leads the NBA with 30.2 points per game, is not traveling with the team so that he can be with his fiancee, actress La La Vazquez, for the birth of their first child.
"I'm not going to Golden State. Straight to the hospital tonight," he said after Tuesday's 106-91 win over the New Orleans Hornets. "She is fine right now. I don't think anything is going to happen tonight."
Tulsa's Brett McDade is questionable (ankle)
Villanova's Mike Nardi is questionable (calf).
Providence's Sharaud Curry is probable (finger)
St. John's Lamont Hamilton is OUT (knee)
St. Joesph's Darrin Govens is doubtful (ankle)
Marquette's Dominic James is questionable (knee)
Marquette's Jerel James is doubtful (hand)
Northern Illinois's Ryan Paradise is questionable (ankle)
Buffalo's Eric Moore is questionable (disciplinary)
Cal's DeVon Hardin is doubtful (foot)
Cal's DeVon Hardin will not play in tonight (foot injury), as coach Ben Braun said, "He hasn't practiced, so he can't play."
Providence's Sharaud Curry will play tonight with a dislocated finger on his left hand according to the Pawtucket Times.
Buffalo's second leading scorer Eric Moore did not accompany the team to Cleveland for the Mid-American Conference Tournament, and will not play today (disciplinary reasons)
Lakers Luke Walton has been downgraded to out (ankle) of tonight's game
Sonics Luke Ridnour has been downgraded to out (neck) of tonight's game
Hawks Joe Johnson leg injury and Marvin Williams back injury both are out of tonight's game according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Hawks Joe Johnson leg injury and Marvin Williams back injury both are out of tonight's game according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Found this prop at BoDog
Josh Smith (ATL) Total Points and Rebounds in the game 24½
Over 24½ looks like a steal 😉
The NBA is suspending Lakers guard Kobe Bryant for Wednesday night's game at Milwaukee
The NBA has suspended Pistons Lindsey Hunter for 10 games without pay. The veteran tested positive for phentermine, which is commonly used as an appetite suppressant.
I hear Carmelo's starting position is in jeopardy because he not following Karl's coaching. I can't believe the Lindsey Hunter thing, did he not know the rules or not think he would be tested? The testing is random right?