NBA Today - Monday, December 10
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SCOREBOARD Monday, Dec. 10
Miami at Phoenix (9 p.m. EST). The Suns had a five-game winning streak snapped on Saturday.
STARS Sunday
-Dwyane Wade, Heat, had 35 points and 10 assists to lead Miami past the Los Angeles Clippers 100-94.
-Chris Paul, Hornets, finished with 29 points and 10 assists in New Orleans' 91-88 victory over Seattle.
-Caron Butler, Wizards, scored 28 points, including 20 in the second half, to lead Washington to a 104-89 victory over New Jersey.
-Kobe Bryant, Lakers, had 28 points and eight assists in Los Angeles' 123-113 win over Golden State.
-Brandon Roy, Trail Blazers, scored 26 points, including a go-ahead layup in overtime, and added nine assists to help Portland defeat Milwaukee 117-113.
MILESTONE
Miami beat the Los Angeles Clippers 100-94 Sunday to snap a five-game skid and give coach Pat Riley his 1,200th career victory. Riley is the third NBA coach to reach 1,200 wins, and got to the mark in his 1,842nd game, faster than any other coach. He joined Golden State's Don Nelson and Lenny Wilkens as the only coaches to reach the total.
KIDDING AROUND
Jason Kidd picked up his 93rd career triple-double with 13 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds in New Jersey's 104-89 loss to the Wizards on Sunday. It was the fourth time Kidd accomplished the feat against Washington.
STREAKS
Seven Lakers scored in double figures as Los Angeles beat Golden State 123-113 Sunday for its third straight victory and ninth straight over the Warriors. ... LaMarcus Aldridge scored 24 points to help Portland get past Milwaukee 117-113 in overtime for its third straight win. ... New Orleans edged Seattle 91-88 to win its second straight and snap the SuperSonics' two-game winning streak.
SNAPPED
Washington beat New Jersey 104-89 Sunday to end a six-game losing streak against the Nets, which was the longest active skid by one team against an opponent.
STRONG IN DEFEAT
Mo Williams had a season-high 33 points in Milwaukee's 117-113 overtime loss to Portland on Sunday. The Bucks have lost three straight and seven of their last eight games. ... Corey Maggette scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds but the Los Angeles Clippers were defeated by Miami 100-94 and have lost eight of their last nine games.
SPEAKING
''Two nights ago when I got here from Golden State I was feeling a little bit low. OK? My wife's in town, and I went to the 19th floor of the Four Seasons Hotel at about 1:30 in the morning. I was out on the balcony looking down at Wilshire Boulevard, and she said: 'Honey, don't do it. It's not worth it.' ... The value of an NBA wife.'' - Miami coach Pat Riley, after the Heat snapped a five-game slide with a 100-94 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.
Monday's NBA betting matchup notes
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Houston Rockets at Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers have also dropped their last five home games against the Rockets (11-10) and nine of 10 overall meetings in the inter-conference series.
Atlanta Hawks at Orlando Magic
The Magic lost three of four to the Hawks last season, but have won 13 of the last 15 meetings in Orlando.
Dallas Mavericks at New York Knicks
The Mavs will look to extend New York's misery and win for the 11th time in 12 meetings with the Knicks.
Miami Heat at Phoenix Suns
The Suns are 6-2 at home, and have won four straight and eight of their last nine against the Heat at US Airways Center.
Milwaukee Bucks at Sacramento Kings
The Kings will be trying for their 11th win in 13 games against Milwaukee (8-11) and their fourth straight over the Bucks in Sacramento. This season, they are 7-2 overall on their home court.
Atlanta Hawks vs. Orlando Magic
- The Atlanta Hawks and the Orlando Magic will meet on the court at Amway Arena on Monday in a battle of division rivals.
Josh Smith had 25 points to lead the Hawks to a 86-78 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night.
The Hawks won as 4.5-point home favorites as the teams played well under the 204-point total posted by linesmakers.
Orlando had 23 turnovers in Friday's 115-109 loss to Indiana, falling as 8-point home favorites. The 224 points scored were OVER the posted total of 211.
Dwight Howard put up 30 points and 15 rebounds, while Rashard Lewis added 24 points for the Magic.
Current streak:
Atlanta has won 2 straight games.
Team records:
Atlanta: 9-10 SU, 9-10 ATS
Orlando: 16-5 SU, 17-4 ATS
Atlanta most recently:
When playing on Monday are 4-6
Before playing Toronto are 3-7
After playing Memphis are 3-7
After a win are 2-8
Orlando most recently:
When playing on Monday are 5-5
Before playing Milwaukee are 2-8
After playing Indiana are 4-6
After a loss are 6-4
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Atlanta's last 10 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Atlanta's last 10 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games when playing Orlando
Atlanta is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Orlando
Orlando is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games
Orlando is 13-2 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against Atlanta
Orlando is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Orlando is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Next up:
Atlanta home to Toronto, Tuesday, December 11
Orlando at Milwaukee, Wednesday, December 12
Houston Rockets vs. Philadelphia 76ers
- The Houston Rockets and the Philadelphia 76ers will both be trying to pick up a win on Monday when they battle at Wachovia Center.
The Rockets lost to Toronto 93-80 as a 4-point favorite on Sunday. The combined score fell UNDER the posted over/under total (188).
Tracy McGrady led the Rockets with 23 points and Yao Ming netted 15 points in the loss.
Willie Green had 18 points to lead the 76ers to a 105-77 win over the New York Knicks on Saturday night.
The Sixers won as 5-point road underdogs as the game played under the 187.5-point total set by oddsmakers.
Current streak:
Philadelphia has won 2 straight games.
Team records:
Houston: 11-10 SU, 9-12 ATS
Philadelphia: 7-13 SU, 9-10-1 ATS
Houston most recently:
When playing on Monday are 5-5
Before playing Detroit are 5-5
After playing Toronto are 5-5
After a loss are 3-7
Philadelphia most recently:
When playing on Monday are 6-4
Before playing Minnesota are 6-4
After playing New York are 5-5
After a win are 3-7
A few trends to consider:
Houston is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
Houston is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games when playing Philadelphia
Houston is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games when playing Houston
Philadelphia is 5-11 SU in its last 16 games
Philadelphia is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games at home
Philadelphia is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Houston
Next up:
Houston home to Detroit, Wednesday, December 12
Philadelphia home to Minnesota, Wednesday, December 12
Dallas Mavericks vs. New York Knicks
- The Dallas Mavericks and the New York Knicks will both be gunning for a victory on Monday when they meet at Madison Square Garden.
Josh Howard scored 47 points and added 10 rebounds to lead the Mavericks past the Utah Jazz 125-117 on Saturday night.
The Mavs covered as 5.5-point favorites as the teams played over the 207.5-point total set by oddsmakers.
Nate Robinson was the game-high scorer with 25 points in the Knicks' 105-77 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night.
The Sixers won as 5-point road underdogs as the game played under the 187.5-point total set by oddsmakers.
Current streak:
New York has lost 2 straight games.
Team records:
Dallas: 13-8 SU, 8-13 ATS
New York: 6-13 SU, 8-11 ATS
Dallas most recently:
When playing on Monday are 5-5
Before playing Toronto are 6-4
After playing Utah are 7-3
After a win are 6-4
New York most recently:
When playing on Monday are 4-6
Before playing Seattle are 6-4
After playing Philadelphia are 3-7
After a loss are 3-7
A few trends to consider:
Dallas is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games when playing New York
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Dallas's last 5 games
Dallas is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against New York
Dallas is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against New York
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New York's last 7 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New York's last 7 games when playing at home against Dallas
New York is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against Dallas
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New York's last 6 games when playing Dallas
Next up:
Dallas at Toronto, Wednesday, December 12
New York home to Seattle, Wednesday, December 12
Miami Heat vs. Phoenix Suns
- The Miami Heat and the Phoenix Suns will both be gunning for a victory on Monday when they meet at US Airways Center.
The Heat defeated the Clippers 100-94 as a 2.5-point favorite last time out. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (187).
Dwyane Wade scored a game-high 35 points and had 10 assists for Miami, while Udonis Haslem and Ricky Davis each added 17 points in the win.
Shawn Marion led the Suns with 18 points in their 100-93 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.
The Timberwolves easily covered as 10.5-point underdogs as the game played under the 217.5-point total listed by sportsbooks.
Team records:
Miami: 5-15 SU, 11-9 ATS
Phoenix: 16-5 SU, 10-11 ATS
Miami most recently:
When playing on Monday are 7-3
Before playing Washington are 4-6
After playing LA Clippers are 4-6
After a win are 3-7
Phoenix most recently:
When playing on Monday are 4-6
Before playing Utah are 8-2
After playing Minnesota are 9-1
After a loss are 7-3
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Miami's last 5 games when playing Phoenix
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Miami's last 13 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
Miami is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 games when playing Phoenix
Miami is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
Phoenix is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Miami
Phoenix is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Miami
Phoenix is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Phoenix's last 6 games
Next up:
Miami home to Washington, Thursday, December 13
Phoenix home to Utah, Wednesday, December 12
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Sacramento Kings
- The Milwaukee Bucks and the Sacramento Kings will both be gunning for a victory on Monday when they meet at ARCO Arena.
The Bucks lost to Portland 115-112 in overtime as a 3.5-point underdog last time out. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (192.5).
Marcus Williams led the Bucks with 33 points and Andrew Bogut deposited 21 points.
John Salmons led the Kings with 25 points in their 101-97 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night.
The Nuggets couldn't cover as huge 13.5-point favorites as the teams played under the 214-point total set by oddsmakers.
Current streak:
Milwaukee has lost 3 straight games.
Sacramento has lost 2 straight games.
Team records:
Milwaukee: 8-11 SU, 7-11-1 ATS
Sacramento: 7-12 SU, 11-8 ATS
Milwaukee most recently:
When playing on Monday are 5-5
Before playing Orlando are 3-7
After playing Portland are 3-7
After a loss are 3-7
Sacramento most recently:
When playing on Monday are 7-3
Before playing Boston are 6-4
After playing Denver are 7-3
After a loss are 5-5
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Milwaukee's last 5 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
Milwaukee is 4-8 ATS in its last 12 games when playing Sacramento
Milwaukee is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
Milwaukee is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Sacramento
Sacramento is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Milwaukee
Sacramento is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Milwaukee
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Sacramento's last 5 games when playing at home against Milwaukee
Sacramento is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Milwaukee
Next up:
Milwaukee home to Orlando, Wednesday, December 12
Sacramento at Boston, Wednesday, December 12
Atlanta (9-10 SU and ATS) at Orlando (16-5 SU, 17-4 ATS)
Two teams surging in the Eastern Conference meet in Orlando as the Hawks visit the Magic.
Atlanta has won three of its last four (2-2 ATS) and six of nine (5-4 ATS) overall to offset its 3-7 start to the season. The Hawks have been doing it with defense lately, holding all but one of their last 10 opponents to 95 points or less. The only team to top the century mark during this stretch was the Pistons, who won 106-95 in Atlanta on Tuesday.
The Magic have been lighting up the scoreboard lately, topping the century mark in five straight games (4-1 ATS) and eight of nine (7-2 ATS). However, Orlando comes into this contest off Friday’s 115-109 home loss to Indiana as an eight-point chalk.
Atlanta dominated the Magic last season, going 3-1 SU and ATS in the four meetings. The Hawks are on an 8-3 ATS run overall against the Magic and they’re 6-2 ATS in their last eight trips to Orlando, including a 93-90 win as an 8½-point underdog in their most recent visit last January.
The Hawks have won three of their last four on the road both SU and ATS after starting the season 0-4 (1-3 ATS) on the highway.
Orlando, which has the NBA’s best pointspread record this season, is 21-5-1 ATS in its last 27 games overall dating to last year. For the season, the Magic average 104.7 points a game and limit the opposition to 98.4.
The under is on runs of 9-1 for Atlanta overall, 9-2 for Atlanta against Southeast Division opponents and 4-1 in the last five head-to-head meetings. Conversely, the over is 6-2 in Orlando’s last eight against the Eastern Conference
ATS ADVANTAGE: ATLANTA
Dallas (13-8 SU, 8-13 ATS) at New York (6-13 SU, 8-11 ATS)
The struggling Mavericks come into Madison Square Garden hoping to add to the Knicks home woes.
The Mavericks got a huge performance from forward Josh Howard (47 points, 10 rebounds) in Saturday’s 125-117 home win over the Jazz, with Dallas getting the cash as a 5½-point favorite. Despite that win, Avery Johnson’s squad is just 4-6 in its last 10 (2-8 ATS), including 1-4 SU and ATS on the road.
The problem for Dallas recently has been its defense, which is giving up 109.2 points a game over its last five.
New York is coming off back-to-back losses to the 76ers, falling 101-90 in Philly on Friday as a four-point underdog and then losing 105-77 as a five-point favorite on Saturday. The Knicks are just 2-4 SU and ATS in their last six.
The Knicks have had trouble finding the basket, putting up just 93 points a game on 43 percent shooting this season while giving up 101.9 ppg on 47.4 percent shooting. In the Garden, the Knicks are just 5-13 ATS in their last 18, and they are just 7-19 ATS in their last 26 Monday tip-offs.
Dallas has struggled on the road this season going just 4-6 (3-7 ATS) after losing just 10 times as a visitor all last season. On the bright side, the Mavericks are on a 10-1 roll against the Knicks (8-3 ATS), including 4-1 SU and ATS in their last five visits to the Garden.
The straight-up winner has covered the spread in each of New York’s last 12 games, and the winner is also 9-1 ATS in the last 10 Knicks-Mavs meetings.
The over is 6-2 in the Mavericks’ last eight overall, 3-1 in New York’s last four and 4-2 in the last six head-to-head clashes.
ATS ADVANTAGE: DALLAS and OVER
KANSAS WILL BE COMPLETE SOON
Foxsports.com
Look for No. 3 Kansas to finally have all of its pieces next weekend.
Jayhawks coach Bill Self said that sophomore guard Sherron Collins is likely out for Saturday’s game against DePaul, but that Collins will likely return on Dec. 15 against Ohio.
"He tried to practice today (Thursday) and was 60 to 70 percent," Self said. "His foot felt good, but his body still needs some time."
Self said that Collins, who has a tendency to put on weight, has been on a special diet since suffering a stress fracture to his left foot in mid-November.
"He’s been disciplined and hasn’t gained a pound," Self said.
Collins was leading the team in scoring at 16 points per contest through the team’s first two games of the season.
Tinsley happy to be alive after downtown shooting
December 10, 2007
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -Jamaal Tinsley knows he has to make lifestyle changes, and he feels blessed to have the chance.
That was the Indiana Pacers guard's mindset 36 hours after being shot at with an assault weapon in front of a downtown Indianapolis hotel. He was not injured.
``The man upstairs, he gave me another opportunity to see another day. When athletes step out, anything can happen,'' the sixth-year player said after Monday's practice.
Tinsley met with coach Jim O'Brien and team president Larry Bird a day after the guard and several companions were targeted in the early Sunday morning shooting that wounded the team's equipment manager. The suspected shooters have not been arrested as police continue to investigate.
The team didn't punish Tinsley in the latest instance of Pacers players finding trouble - or trouble finding them.
First-year coach O'Brien said Tinsley did nothing wrong, other than making bad decisions, but he knows the damage might already have been done to an image the franchise has worked frantically to rebuild.
``Of course, you worry about your fans and the community and how people look at you,'' Tinsley said. ``I made a stupid mistake, again.''
This episode was Tinsley's third late-night incident in about 14 months. It is the latest in a three-year string of off-court problems that have engulfed the franchise, starting with a brawl with Detroit Pistons fans in 2004.
The Pacers have since traded two of the main participants in the brawl - Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson - but the franchise still is digging out, and Tinsley continues to find trouble.
He was there when then-teammate Jackson fired a gun into the air several times before being hit by a car at an Indianapolis strip club in October 2006. Tinsley and another Pacers player, Marquis Daniels, face a Jan. 14 trial on charges stemming from a bar fight nearly a year ago.
In the latest incident, Tinsley's group had arrived at the ``Cloud 9'' club in a Mercedes, a Rolls Royce and a Dodge Charger, all owned by Tinsley. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Sgt. Paul Thompson said a group gathered around the Rolls Royce and gave Tinsley a hard time about his cars and his earnings.
The group realized after leaving the club that a car and a pickup truck were following them, Thompson said.
Instead of going home, Tinsley's group pulled into the Conrad Hotel, where someone in the vehicles that were following opened fire, spraying bullets on the hotel, Tinsley's cars and nearby buildings. Tinsley said he pulled into the Conrad because he didn't want the people following him to know where he lives.
Rich pro athletes getting into trouble isn't new. Examples are found in all pro sports.
But the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts - despite having a higher profile in the city - haven't had the same problems with their athletes.
Colts coach Tony Dungy said Tinsley's trouble scratches the surface of a larger problem - violence towards athletes - that has been spotlighted since the murder of Washington Redskins defensive back Sean Taylor last month.
``I didn't really think of it as a Pacers issue, I thought about it as an American issue,'' Dungy said on Monday. ``There's a lot of that going on around the country. Somehow, we have to get the message out to the whole country that this is not the way to go. Life is too precious.''
Dungy said his team polices itself.
``I don't know that I have to reiterate it to the team, but it's an opportunity in the community to get the message out that you've got to be careful where you go and who you associate with, that firing guns and trying to kill people is not the way to go,'' he said.
Miami Heat center Alonzo Mourning said he doesn't carry much money or wear much jewelry, and he's careful about his activities.
``Guys have got to make better decisions about where ... they go and use better judgment,'' Mourning said Sunday after hearing of the shooting. ``If we go out and flaunt and expose our luxuries, there are some jealous people out there who want it.
``I'm not saying you've got to hide it, but don't be flamboyant. Don't walk into a club with a crowd of people wearing a $250,000 chain around your neck or pull out a wad of hundreds for everybody to see.''
Tinsley apologized to his family, teammates and fans.
If attendance is any indication, fans could be showing they are tired of a troubled team, one that missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 1997. As of Sunday, the Pacers were averaging just 12,517 fans for home games in the 18,345-seat Conseco Fieldhouse, 28th out of 30 teams.
Police arrested one person in Tinsley's group for an outstanding warrant in Georgia for dealing a controlled substance.
Team equipment manager Joey Qatato was struck in both elbows as he sat with Tinsley in the Rolls Royce, which was struck by several bullets, as was the Charger. The 48-year-old Qatato was taken to Methodist Hospital, where he was treated and released.
``I'm very disappointed that it happened, with me,'' Tinsley said. ``It was supposed to be fun. That's all I wanted to do is have fun.''
Louisville suspends Caracter
December 10th, 2007
Louisville, KY (Sports Network) - Louisville head basketball coach Rick Pitino has suspended center/forward Derrick Caracter indefinitely for violating certain rules.
Pitino said Caracter had agreed to a set of guidelines, including a curfew, after missing 16 games as a freshman last season due to off-court issues.
"It's really not by me, it's by the team," Pitino said Monday of the suspension. "It's been two years of very difficult times trying to change this young man. It's been a fight all the way to try to get him to change his ways.
"From the summer to mid-November, he's been on dormitory arrest. He's under curfew. We put a lot of things in place, so he could succeed and not fail. He slipped up once again. I was going to not play him in the Dayton game [Saturday], but the team asked me to override it.
"We made him sign a contract, as we have in the past, that he had to do the following things to stay on this basketball team. We got the team to agree to it. One is just a curfew.
"He decided after the game to break it, the first night after he signed the contract. He broke it twice. He knows how much the team went to bat for him. With that in mind, I'd rather play with walk-ons than sacrifice anything more."
Caracter, a 6-foot-9 sophomore, is averaging 13.4 points and 7.4 rebounds this season.
The Cardinals, currently 5-2 and ranked 22nd in the country, have just seven scholarship players available for action. In addition to Caracter, four other players are sidelined because of injury or eligibility.
Senior forward Juan Palacios is recovering from torn knee cartilage and could return within the next two weeks, while senior center David Padgett has been out since mid-November with a broken kneecap.
Freshman forward George Goode did not meet eligibility requirements and freshman center Clarence Holloway had season-ending open heart surgery in September.