Golden State Warriors vs. Portland Trail Blazers
- The fans at Rose Garden will be treated to a game between the Golden State Warriors and the Portland Trail Blazers when they take their seats on Wednesday.
The Warriors defence had 14 steals to help them crush the Spurs 96-84 on Tuesday. The Warriors easily covered the 1.5-point spread, while the combined 176 points were UNDER the posted total of 213.
Stephen Jackson netted 20 points to lead the way, while Baron Davis chipped in with 18.
The Trail Blazers dominated from the three-point line and stopped the Jazz for a 97-89 upset last time out, as 14-point underdogs. The combined score fell UNDER the posted total of 202.
Martell Webster led the way with a team-high 25 points, while Brandon Roy and Jarrett Jack each tossed in 16 points in the win.
Current streak:
Portland has won 4 straight games.
Team records:
Golden State: 12-9 SU, 11-10 ATS
Portland: 9-12 SU, 11-10 ATS
Golden State most recently:
When playing on Wednesday are 5-5
Before playing LA Lakers are 5-5
After playing San Antonio are 5-5
After a win are 7-3
Portland most recently:
When playing on Wednesday are 4-6
Before playing Utah are 2-8
After playing Utah are 2-8
After a win are 6-4
A few trends to consider:
Golden State is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing Portland
Golden State is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Portland
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Golden State's last 8 games when playing Portland
Golden State is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Portland's last 8 games when playing Golden State
Portland is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Portland is 14-5 SU in its last 19 games when playing at home against Golden State
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Portland's last 7 games when playing at home against Golden State
Next up:
Golden State home to LA Lakers, Friday, December 14
Portland home to Utah, Friday, December 14
Utah Jazz vs. Phoenix Suns
- The Utah Jazz and the Phoenix Suns will both be trying to pick up a win on Wednesday when they battle at US Airways Center.
The Jazz were upset 97-89 by the Trail Blazers last time out, as 14-point favorites. The combined score fell UNDER the posted total of 202.
Carlos Boozer had a double-double with 29 points and 13 rebounds in a losing effort.
The Suns were upset 117-113 by the Heat on Monday, as 12-point favorites. The combined 230 points sailed OVER the posted total of 217.
Shawn Marion was one of four players with 19 points in the loss for the Suns, while shooting 8-for-11 from the field with six rebounds.
Current streak:
Utah has lost 4 straight games.
Phoenix has lost 2 straight games.
Team records:
Utah: 13-9 SU, 10-12 ATS
Phoenix: 16-6 SU, 10-12 ATS
Utah most recently:
When playing on Wednesday are 5-5
Before playing Portland are 4-6
After playing Portland are 5-5
After a loss are 5-5
Phoenix most recently:
When playing on Wednesday are 5-5
Before playing New Orleans are 5-5
After playing Miami are 7-3
After a loss are 7-3
A few trends to consider:
Utah is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
Utah is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Phoenix
Utah is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Phoenix
Utah is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Phoenix's last 7 games
Phoenix is 13-4 SU in its last 17 games
Phoenix is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Phoenix's last 7 games at home
Next up:
Utah at Portland, Friday, December 14
Phoenix at New Orleans, Saturday, December 15
NHL parity makes sure bets a rarity
League's balance has made wagering on hockey a risky proposition.
Perhaps the best example of parity in sports can be found in the NHL standings listed in order of records against the spread.
After 10 weeks of the 2007-08 season, 23 of the league's 30 teams have won at least 13 times against the spread and 23 have lost at least 13 times against the spread.
That's betting balance at its best, and it's what has made wagering on hockey so risky this season.
Just check out the Central Division.
The Detroit Red Wings own the league's best record at 22-6-2 and had a 13-point lead over second-place St. Louis heading into Tuesday night's games.
But third-place Columbus, which trails Detroit by 14 points, and last-place Chicago, 16 points behind the Red Wings, have the best records against the spread in the division at 18-12 and 17-12, respectively. Detroit is 14-16 against the spread.
One factor behind the balance has been a more competitive league schedule, with every team having already spent a month playing against division rivals. Facing the same teams over and over led to fewer blowout games.
The NHL also has cut down home-ice advantage in many games involving teams playing on back-to-back nights.
For example, last week the Buffalo Sabres were outscored by a combined 12-3 in consecutive losses to the Ducks and Kings. Two days later, Buffalo won, 7-1, at San Jose, with the Sharks having played at Phoenix the night before.
In previous seasons, San Jose probably would have been rested and waiting for the Sabres instead of the other way around.
Last hockey add: The NHL's best team against the spread? Boston, with a 22-7 record. Even though the Bruins are only 16-10-3, they are the only team in the league to cover the line more than 18 times and the only team that has failed to cover fewer than 11 times.
latimes.com
Freshmen Lucas-Perry to leave Arizona
Tucson, AZ -- UA freshman guard Laval Lucas-Perry quit the Arizona men's basketball team Monday, announcing he has decided to transfer to another school. He's undecided on where that will be.
"We wish Laval the best of luck," UA interim head coach Kevin O'Neill said in a press release. "He is a great kid. Unfortunately, he felt that opportunities would be better for him elsewhere."
NCAA rules stipulate that Lucas-Perry must sit out a year before transferring to another Division I school, so he would not be eligible to play until the end of the fall semester next year when he would have 2 1/2 years of eligibility left.
Lucas-Perry, who hails from Grand Blanc, Mich., averaged 4.0 points and 1.6 rebounds in 9.8 minutes per game, seeing time in five of the Wildcats' eight contests. His best game came Nov. 19 against Missouri-Kansas City when he set career highs in points (nine), rebounds (five) and minutes (24).
The news comes four days after UA head coach Lute Olson announced that he will miss the rest of the season for personal reasons.
Lucas-Perry, the No. 138 player in the recruiting Web site Rival.com's class of 2007 rankings, was offered scholarships by Boston College, Iowa, Michigan, Penn State and Wisconsin, according to Rivals, making it possible one of those schools could be interested in him now.
He becomes the first Wildcat to transfer since guard J.P. Prince left for Tennessee last year.
cstv.com
Xavier big 'chalk' vs. Cincy
By VI News
Carrying a national ranking into its annual crosstown rivalry game with Cincinnati has been a good thing for Xavier. Then again, being the underdog in this matchup has had its advantages.
The No. 17 Musketeers look to remain perfect when facing the Bearcats while ranked in the AP poll and avoid their first home loss in nearly a year as the teams meet Wednesday at Cintas Center. Most sports books are listing Cincy as a huge 19-point underdog.
Xavier (7-1) has been ranked five times heading into this crosstown game and won each matchup, including twice in the past 10 years when Cincinnati has been unranked. Though they trail the overall series 47-27, the Musketeers have won seven of the past 11 meetings with the school that's just three miles down the road.
Since 1996, the Bearcats have lost four times to an unranked Xavier team when they've been ranked - twice as the nation's No. 1 team. Though neither team was ranked when they met last season on Dec. 13, Cincinnati's 67-57 win was certainly considered an upset. The Bearcats went on to finish 11-19 - their worst record in 23 years - while Xavier was 25-9.
The teams have met at least once per season since 1945-46.
Cincinnati has lost its last two trips to Cintas Center, where the Musketeers have won 13 in a row since a loss to Bucknell on Dec. 20, 2006. Their five home wins this season have been by an average of 31.8 points.
A win against Cincinnati will give Xavier its best start since the 1996-97 team won its first 10 games.
Coach Sean Miller's team has been one of the nation's most balanced early this season. Six players average between 11.0 and 13.5 points, and each of those six has led the team in scoring in at least one game.
"On any particular night, we have different players who are capable of having a big night," Miller said. "It's not always six players in double figures. It's the ability of a lot of players to have a big game."
The latest Musketeer to come up big was senior guard Drew Lavender. The preseason Atlantic-10 first-team selection scored 28 points and had a career-best 10 assists - his first ever double-double - in leading Xavier to a 79-66 win over previously unbeaten Creighton on Dec. 5.
"He was the first option," said B.J. Raymond, who added 15 points. "It shows you how good he is. It's hard to find a point guard who can score, who can run the team, take on the press. Basically, he does all the work."
Xavier is the best team in the Atlantic 10 in field-goal percentage (49.7) and 3-point percentage (40.8). Raymond, Lavender and senior Stanley Burrell each shoot at least 41.7 percent from beyond the arc.
Cincinnati (4-4) is coming off its first losing season in 19 years, and is off to a mediocre start in 2007-08. Its four wins have come against mid-major programs with a combined record of 10-23.
The Bearcats opened the season with six straight home games, winning the most recent one on Nov. 26, before losing twice on the road in their only games since.
In their most recent defeat, 62-52 at Illinois State on Saturday, Cincinnati shot 36.7 percent for the game and scored only 18 points in the first half.
Point guard Deonta Vaughn led the team in scoring as a freshman last season and is doing the same as a sophomore, averaging 15.0 points to go along with 5.1 assists and 3.9 rebounds. He had 24 points to spark Cincinnati's win over Xavier last season.
While the Musketeers are one of the best shooting teams in their conference, the Bearcats are one of the worst in the Big East. They rank 15th in both field-goal percentage (41.8) and 3-point percentage (30.8). They are last in points per game (65.8).
Hate, payback make Crosstown Shootout worth betting
Covers.com
Taking advantage of college rivalries is one of betting’s most lucrative strategies.
Gamblers can expect a little something extra from teams when they clash with hated foes. Whether the battle is in-state like Duke versus UNC, or in-town like this Wednesday’s Crosstown Shootout between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Xavier Musketeers, both books and bettors have to approach rivalry games a little differently.
Michael Pierce, a linesmaker for Belmont.com, says that in a rivalry both teams come very prepared so it is hard to give an edge to one team or the other.
“The overall effect is minimal, because both teams should be ready for any intrastate opponent,” says Pierce. “One aspect you have to look at is what players are still around from last year’s game.”
Last season, the Bearcats shocked sportsbooks with a 67-57 victory over the Musketeers as 4 ½-point home underdogs. Cincinnati returns six players from that game, with four in the starting lineup. Sophomore Deonta Vaughn scored 24 points and senior John Williamson added 18 in last season’s win.
The Bearcats have stumbled out of the blocks in 2007. Cincinnati is 4-4 straight up with a 1-5 record against the spread. Unlike last year, the Bearcats won’t have a sold-out Fifth Third Arena backing them.
This classic rivalry swings to the Cintas Center, where the Xavier student body has been camping out all week for tickets.
"It will be the direct opposite so it's a big challenge for a young team," UC head coach Mick Cronin told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "One thing we have this year is we have some guys who played in it last year. The problem is we have nobody on our team that's ever played at the Cintas Center and I don't know if we have anybody on our team that's ever been to the Cintas Center."
Facing the Musketeers on their homecourt will be Cincy’s toughest test to date. Xavier is ranked 17th in the country after starting the season 7-1 (4-1-0 ATS) with notable wins over Miami-Ohio, Indiana and Creighton. The Musketeers return six players from last season’s loss. Among those returning is forward Josh Duncan, who scored 14 points in that game.
According to professional handicapper Robert Ferringo of Doc’s Sports, revenge could play a big factor in this Wednesday’s outcome. Last year’s upset gave the Bearcats a 47-27 edge over the Musketeers in 74 previous Crosstown Shootout games.
“I could see Xavier not calling off the dogs if it gets up,” says Ferringo. “Teams that fall behind big at this time of the season don’t play hard in the second half like they do later in the year. I could see Xavier pouring it on early and the Bearcats calling it quits.”
Oddsmakers agree that the Musketeers could have some added motivation heading into Wednesday’s showdown. Not only does last year’s loss serve as fuel, but retaining its spot in the Top 25 could have Xavier even more motivated to beat its rivals.
“If anything, (the spread) should be shaded a bit towards Xavier,” says Pierce. “I expect (the Musketeers) to be more focused than normal for this game.”
Books say the line will reflect this and should open somewhere around 12 points in favor of the home team.
Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Basketball bettors can watch live on ESPN2.
Raptors' Ford released from hospital
Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Toronto Raptors guard T.J. Ford left an Atlanta-area hospital on Wednesday and returned to Toronto, less than 24 hours after suffering what appeared to be a serious neck injury.
With Toronto holding on to a comfortable 92-84 lead in the waning minutes of regulation, Ford drove in all alone for an easy layup. Hawks forward Al Horford, who was trailing Ford, jumped and wound up to block the ball, but followed through and grabbed the top of Ford's head instead, smacking the top of his face.
Ford fell violently to the floor under the basket, and his head bounced off the hardwood. The 24-year-old, who has a history of neck and spinal injuries, grimaced in pain and cried immediately after landing, but did not move to get up.
As Raptors head coach Sam Mitchell ran to scream at the officials, medical personnel tended to Ford, who lay on the floor for several minutes. Horford was assessed a flagrant 2 foul, which draws an immediate ejection, and left the court.
"I tried to hit the ball, but instead I hit his head. He just made a good move and kind of fooled me," said Horford, who said that he did not intentionally go after Ford's head.
"Oh definitely not; I'm not a dirty player ... I hope that he's alright, that he's able to come back and be back with his team," said Horford.
Ford, who had movement in his extremities, was strapped into a stretcher with his head and neck immobilized, wheeled off the court and taken to Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, where he remained overnight for testing and observation.
He has been medically cleared to play in tonight's game at Air Canada Centre against the Dallas Mavericks.
A bruised spinal cord caused Ford to miss the last two months of his rookie season in Milwaukee, and the resulting surgery and rehabilitation kept him out of the entire 2004-05 season.
Ford scored 26 points and had eight assists in Toronto's 100-88 win over Atlanta. Horford, a rookie out of Florida, finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Wednesday's Tip Sheet
VegasInsider.com
Pro Basketball’s version of “Hump Day” offers up an 11-game slate on tap, including a pair of televised tilts on ESPN. Before we breakdown the national double-header, we’re going to dissect one of the key factors in defining a competitive club in the NBA.
Since we just passed the quarter pole of the season, it’s safe to say that you can slowly start to separate the contenders from pretenders.
One key factor in the separation process that I love to look at is road victories. I’ve always believed that good teams win, yet great teams win on the road. By looking at standings from prior seasons, you can easily predict who was going to be playing in June for a championship.
Last year, only 20 percent (6) of the 30 teams in the NBA boasted a winning road record in the NBA. One of them was San Antonio, who swept Cleveland in four games of the NBA Finals. The Cavaliers didn’t have a winning road mark, but it was close at 20-21. Actually, Detroit (27-14) was the only club in the Eastern Conference to notch a ledger above .500 away from home.
As mentioned above, all of the 30 teams in the league have completed at least 25 percent of their 82 scheduled games, which gives us a pretty good sample size to analyze.
Currently, only one-third or 10 teams have a winning road record in the NBA. That leaves 20 teams in the league that can’t seem to get it done outside of their own arena, which in turn leads to serious fade plays.
Listed below are tonight’s Good, Bad and of course The Ugly clubs to follow on the road.
The Good
Orlando (16-6 straight up, 17-5 against the spread) has dominated teams on the road, posting an 11-2 SU and 12-1 ATS mark this year. The two losses are nothing to be ashamed of, especially for a young club. The defeats came against Phoenix (106-110) and San Antonio (110-128) in late November. The Magic are probably happy to be traveling to Milwaukee (8-12 SU, 8-11 ATS) on Wednesday considering the team has dropped back-to-back home games to inferior teams in Indiana and Atlanta. The Bucks are no slouch at home, going 6-2 SU and 5-3 ATS this year. Orlando did rout Milwaukee 102-83 on opening night in front of its home fans.
Another club that has performed better on the road (8-2) than at home (6-5) this year is New Orleans (14-7 SU, 11-10 ATS). The Hornets have been outclassing teams with their stout defense on the road, clamping opponents to 91 points per game. That’s six points (97) less than they allow in the Big Easy. Similar to the Magic, New Orleans gets a tough test tonight with a road trip to Denver (13-8 SU, 10-11 ATS). The Nuggets have lit up the scoreboard at Pepsi Center for 110 PPG this year en route to a 9-3 SU and 7-5 ATS record. The Hornets should be confident entering Colorado, with two wins in their last three visits. And that includes this year’s 93-88 win on Nov. 4 as a 5 ½-point underdog.
With the Good, comes The Bad
Chicago went 18-23 on the road last year, compared to a 30-11 record at United Center. This season, the Bulls (7-12 SU, 7-12 ATS) have come out slow and own an inconsistent 3-7 ledger both SU and ATS outside of the Windy City. That number was 1-6 before back-to-back road wins against Charlotte (91-82) and Detroit (98-91) last week. Can they win three in a row? It will have to come against fellow Central Division foe Indiana (10-11 SU, 10-11 ATS). The Bulls took three of four against the Pacers last season. One thing gamblers should know about Chicago this year is that when they win, they cover. And when they lose, they lose big. The opening line has Scott Skiles’ team catching points, so a money-line play should be in order if you fancy Chicago.
The L.A. Clippers (8-12 SU, 7-13 ATS) could fit in this mix, since they’re 4-5 both SU and ATS away from Staples Center. Similar to Chicago, the Clips have captured two in a row on the road including a 91-82 victory against New Jersey last night. Extending the winning streak to three doesn’t seem impossible against a Charlotte (7-12 SU, 7-12 ATS) team that has been up and down all year. Keep in mind that the Bobcats have been more up at home, notching a 6-5 record both SU and ATS. L.A. has won four in a row against Charlotte, including two straight on the road by exactly nine points each time.
Unless you’re playing the “Due Factor” (which is good way to lose you’re a$$), you’re probably better off passing on The Ugly clubs.
Minnesota (3-16 SU, 8-11 ATS) owns just one win (1-8 SU, 5-4 ATS) on the road, but its only been defeated by an average of eight PPG in the losses. The Wolves face a confident Philly (8-13 SU, 10-9 ATS) team that has won three in a row albeit two came against the woeful Knicks.
Sacramento (8-12 SU, 11-9 ATS) is still searching for its first road win of the season, remaining the only team in the NBA not to do so. The Kings (0-8 SU, 2-6 ATS) have been blasted away from ARCO Arena by an average of 13 PPG (108-95). The Boston Massacre happened many, many years ago but there is a reason why the Celtics (17-2 SU, 13-5 ATS) are laying 15 1/2-points at home on Wednesday. Especially when you’ve outscored foes 102-81 en route to a 10-0 SU and 8-2 ATS record at home.
Seattle (5-17 SU, 10-12 ATS) watched its road record submerge to 2-9 SU and 4-7 ATS on Tuesday after getting destroyed by Chicago 123-96 as 8 ½-point underdogs. The Sonics are catching points (4.5) on Wednesday against New York (6-14 SU, 8-12 ATS). The Knicks have been bad on the road and at home too but the line says something here. N.Y. has won and covered three of four against the Sonics, including an 18-point victory at Madison Square Garden last season. The ‘over’ has gone 4-0 during this stretch.
TV Tilts - ESPN
Detroit (15-6 SU, 12-9 ATS) meets Houston (11-11 SU, 9-13 ATS) at Toyota Center after dropping Memphis 113-103 as a six-point road favorite on Tuesday. The Pistons will be playing their second game in two nights and third in the last four days. The Rockets could be without Tracy McGrady (ankle), who left early in Monday’s 100-88 loss to Philadelphia. The Pistons have won three of the last four against the Rockets.
Cold meets colder in the late-night battle, as Utah (13-9 SU, 10-11 ATS) and Phoenix (16-6 SU, 10-12 ATS) square off in the desert. The Jazz have suffered four consecutive losses and the Suns are losers of their last two. Utah has given up 106 PPG on the road this year, which has resulted in a mediocre 5-7 SU and 4-8 ATS record. The ‘over’ has gone 9-3. Phoenix has only played nine home games (6-3 SU, 4-5 ATS) but it hasn’t looked sharp, evidenced by a 117-113 setback to Miami on Monday. From a head-to-head standpoint, the Jazz have won and covered four of the previous six meetings against the Suns.
New Jersey Nets waive guard Eddie Gill
December 12, 2007
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -The New Jersey Nets waived guard Eddie Gill on Wednesday.
The sixth-year pro from Weber State signed with the Nets in November and appeared in 13 games, averaging 2.9 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists.
His spot on the roster will be filled by backup point guard Marcus Williams, who is expected at practice for the first time this season after being sidelined with a foot injury.
Gill appeared in eight games for New Jersey in 2000-2001 and also played for Memphis, Portland and Indiana.
Penny Hardaway waived by Heat, making room for Luke Jackson
December 12, 2007
MIAMI (AP) -Penny Hardaway's comeback attempt with the Miami Heat is over.
The 36-year-old forward was waived Wednesday, a move that cleared the roster spot Miami needed to sign another former first-round draft pick - guard Luke Jackson.
Hardaway signed a non-guaranteed contract with Miami this summer after recovering from an array of injuries that kept him off the court for nearly three full seasons. He started eight times this season for the Heat, but averaged only 3.8 points on 37 percent shooting, and didn't play in any of Miami's past four games.
Hardaway has a 15.2 point-per-game average in 704 career regular-season games. He was told of Miami's decision Wednesday morning before practice. He could be claimed off waivers by another team within a 48-hour window, although it's unclear if any other clubs will have interest.
Hardaway showed flashes of production with Miami: His 6-for-6, 16-point night in New Jersey on Nov. 17 keyed a 91-87 Heat victory.
In the four weeks that have followed, he managed a total of 19 points.
The once-electric guard was a fast-rising star when he entered the NBA for the 1993-94 season. One year later, he and Shaquille O'Neal brought an Eastern Conference championship to Orlando.
But knee problems kept Hardaway to 59 games in 1996-97, then surgery limited him to 19 games the following year. In the years that followed, he's battled plantar fasciitis, more knee surgery, thumb surgery and even more knee surgery.
He worked through all that and earned a shot with Miami. But when the Heat decided it wanted Jackson - who essentially plays the same position - it deemed Hardaway expendable.
So now, Miami will see what kind of offensive boost the 26-year-old Jackson can provide.
Jackson was the 10th overall pick by Cleveland in the 2004 draft, then played only 10 games that year for the Cavaliers. The former Oregon star also has played with the Los Angeles Clippers and Toronto Raptors, plus done stints in the NBDL.
Jackson signed with the Idaho Stampeders last week, scored 30 points in his first game with that club, then left the team for his workout with the Heat.