The NBA season is down to less than 20 games for most teams. The battle for the 8 possible playoff spots in each conference is fierce and exciting. In the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference the Boston Celtics are 40-23. They lead 2nd place Toronto by 8 games but have lost 2 in a row. Never the less the Celtics should win this division easily and take their place in the top 5 of the conference.
In the Central division the Cleveland Cavaliers are 50-15 and have the best winning percentage in the league. They look like a cinch to be in the finals if they stay healthy. They have already clinched their division. In the Western division the Orlando Magic are 45-20 and lead Atlanta by 4 games. Orlando should win the division but will not go far in the playoffs.
The Dallas Mavericks lead the Southwestern division of the Western Conference. The Mavericks are the hottest NBA team right now having won 13 in a row. They are 45-21 and 6 games in front of San Antonio. Dallas will win the division and could put up a fight in the playoffs. The Denver Nuggets lead the Northwestern division by the closest margin in the NBA, only 1 game over the Utah Jazz. This one is going down to the wire. Denver is 43-21 and the Jazz could over take them and win this division easily.
The LA Lakers lead the Pacific division with a 47-18 record. Their winning percentage is only 2nd to the Cavaliers in the NBA. The Lakers lead Phoenix by 7 games. Phoenix is also a 40 game winner. The Lakers will win this division hands down and if there is any sense in sports they should meet the Cavaliers in the Finals. Of course we all know it is never over until that last buzzer sounds. Until we meet again may your betting be better and remember to always be a good sport.
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Thursday night the Cleveland Cavaliers rolled into Boston to take on the Celtics with a monkey on their back. They had lost 9 straight in Boston including the playoffs. The Celtics lead their division are still a major force to reckon with in the NBA. The Cavaliers are 45-14 this season and are number one in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics are 36-20 and are tied for 3rd over all with the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Cleveland came into town 19-10 on the road. They desperately wanted to make it 20.
The game began with the Celtics showing why they are one of the most famous franchises in the NBA. Things even looked worse for the the Cavaliers when O’Neil hurt his thumb in the second quarter. The losing streak in Boston seemed destined to become 10 and then Cleveland woke up in the second half and outscored Boston 60-32. LaBron James ended up with 36 points and the Cavaliers won their 20th away game and snapped the 9 game losing streak in Boston 108-88.
The Cavaliers wound up sinking 10 of their last 13 baskets showing Boston that Cleveland could still click. It is hard to imagine anything but a Cavaliers-Lakers Finals match up but stranger things have happened. Cleveland has yet to get over that final hump and prove they are the best in the NBA. This could be the year that they do. Until we meet again may your betting be better and remember to always be a good sport.
The first half of the NBA season is history. The All-Star game was a huge success in Arlington. Now it is time to take it too the hoop all they way to the championship. It is time for those flash in the pan teams that have hung on with all their glory to move to the wayside and let the good times roll.
The L.A. Lakers have won 4 straight since the all-star break and have done so without Kobe Bryant. That is a pretty good sign that the Lakers are for real and should be expected to repeat but anything can happen in the NBA on a given day. The Lakers are 42-13 on the year and 26-4 at home. That is pretty impressive. Right now Phoenix is a safe 9.5 games behind them in the Pacific Conference.
The Denver Nuggets lead the Northwest with a 35-18 record and are equally as impressive at home with a 23-5 record. However, they are 12-13 on the road. The Utah Jazz are only 1.5 games back with 2 other teams only a few games back in the race. This one will not be over until it is over but look for the Jazz to make a move.
In the Southwest the Dallas Mavericks are 33-21 and 15-9 at home. They are 17-12 on the road which is second to only the Cleveland in the NBA. The San Antonio Spurs have always been a spur in their saddle and are only a game back. The Mavericks will need to pull an ace out of their hat to hold onto this one.
In the Southeast Orlando is 36-18 with a record of 20-5 at home. Atlanta is 1.5 games back with a 21-6 record at home. The Magic better keep the magic going or some Hawks might just soar in for the kill. In the Central the Cleveland Cavaliers are 43-11 holding the best winning percentage in the NBA, who said O’Neil and James could not play together? They are 24-3 at home and 19-8 on the road. They have won 13 straight and are on their way to the NBA Championship. The Bulls are second and 16 games back.
In the Atlantic the Boston Celtics are 33-18 with a home record of 15-9. The Toronto Raptors are 4.5 games back. The Celtics are hanging on but are not playing to their potential. Lucky for them they lead a weak division. At 9-1 the Celtics have the best division record in the NBA. I will be very surprised if the Cavaliers and the Lakers do not face off in the Championship this year. Until we meet again may your betting be better and remember to always be a good sport.
Sunday night was a huge night in Arlington, Texas. Cowboys Stadium, which cost over 1 billion dollars to construct, was filled to the gills. Over 108,000 fans grabbed a seat to watch a major sporting event and got a chance to see the famed Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders as a bonus. No, it was not the Super Bowl, although that game will be played there in 2011, it was the NBA All Star Game and history was in the making.
To be exact 108,713 people were present to watch the NBA East get by the West 141-139. It was the biggest crowd to ever watch a basketball game. The former record was 78,129 set back in 2003. Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys, joined with Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, to put this event together. Both were over joyed.
Dwyane Wade won the All Star MVP scoring 28 points. Players were a little concerned that their perception might be a little off with so much space behind and around the baskets but it would not be the case. The players were as impressed with being part of history as were the fans. The game may have been over shadowed by the history making attendance hype but overall everyone got what they came for. The NBA needed a boost and they received it Sunday Night in Arlington. Now the NBA needs to take it to the basket just as hard the rest of the season. Until we meet again may your betting be better and remember to always be a good sport.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ are on a roll with a record of 36-11. The Boston Celtics are doing okay at 29-15 but know they could be even better. Regardless, this match up always brings out the best in both teams. Both teams know they will more than likely meet in the playoffs and this increases their desire to make a statement.
Today at 3:30 pm eastern time these two outstanding franchises will clash once again. The Lakers’ are first in the West while the Celtics are 3rd in the East. Paul Pierce, the Celtics mighty forward, looks to the match up with great anticipation. He knows how important it is to establish your position and attitude with competitive teams like the Lakers’.
The Celtics have only won 2 of their last 7 games. They need this victory to improve their morale. Although the city of Boston will be buzzing with hope the Celtics have a weak 13-7 record at home. Regardless this one can be a barn burner. Kobe Bryant the legend in Los Angeles only needs 47 points in today’s game to surpass Jerry West as the Lakers’ all time scorer. Bryant has actually had the pleasure of putting together a 47 point game 29 times over his career.
Bryant and the Lakers’ know the Celtics will not go down without a fight. This game will present a physical battle beneath the boards that will definitely make for a clash to remember. Great teams tend to play great teams well. Don’t look for Bryant to get his 30th 47 point game but do look for the Lakers’ to win their 37th of the season. Until we meet again may your betting be better and remember to always be a good sport.
On Wednesday the United States soccer team faced a powerful foe in Spain in the Confedertions Cup semi-final in South Africa. The United States could have been in awe of Spains 35 game winning streak. During that period the Spanish team only allowed 11 goals to be scored against them. On Wednesday the United States soccer team managed to get 2 and that was 1 more than they needed as they ended Spains winning streak with a 2-0 victory. Now the United States is in the final against another soccer giant in the Brazilian team. Can they pull 2 major upsets off in a row?
In NBA news Hedo Turkoglu has opted out of his conract with the Orlando Magic. Turkoglu was due 7.3 million dollars next year but his hoping for a long term contract that would pay him 10 million per year. Orlando will find it hard to pay that amount since they acquired Vince Carter from the New Jersey Nets the day before. Turkoglu averaged almost 17 points per game this season and was a major factor in the Magics run to the NBA Finals. Cleveland fans got something to cheer about as Shaquille O’Neal was traded to the Cavaliers on Thursday. Shaq has made a pretty good career by teaming with superstars. He won 3 NBA titles with Kobe Bryant and one with Dwayne Wade. Now he has the opportunity to play with LeBron James. Is another NBA title in his future?
At Wimbledon Roger Federer managed to lose a set to 27th ranked Philipp Kohlschreiber but hung on to win and move on to face Roger Soderling on Monday. Federer is chasing his record breaking 15th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon. The chase will get just a little tougher on Monday. On the ladies side Serena Williams was late for her match against Roberta Vinci of Italy. The American won fairly easily to move on to play Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia.
The issue of steroid use in Major League Baseball has been heavily covered for the past few years. Today the Chicago Sports Writers Association voted to not allow any new guidelines when it comes to voting players to the Hall Of Fame if they have used steroids. Some of the bigger names who have been in the steroid using limelight is Barry Bonds, Roger Clemons, Sammy Sosa, Alex Rodriguez and Mark McGwire. One of the categories for determining your vote is on character. This issue has been highly debated. If performance enhancing drugs made you better than you would have normally been should you get elected to the Hall? It is my personal opinion that it still takes a very special core of athletic ability to be a superstar. If you gave any player in the Major Leagues steroids could they break Hank Aarons home run record? I don’t think so. The ability has to be there or not. Would Pete Rose have gotten twice as many hits had he of used steriods? I don’t think so. These are great baseball players who were great long before they took performance enhancing drugs. To error is human, to forgive is devine. These players deserve to be in the Hall of Fame. Until we meet again good betting and remember to always be a good sport.
There was not much Magic in Orlando last night as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Orlando Magic 99-86 to win the NBA Championship. It was the Lakers 15th Championship and the first they had won in 7 years. By winning 4 out 5 games in the series Los Angeles was able to remove the cloud that followed them since losing to the Boston Celtics in the finals last year. The Lakers Coach Phil Jackson seemed rather subdued as he acquired his own 10th National Basketball Association Championship. That is one more than legendary Red Auerbach.
The Los Angeles Lakers may have had their hot and cold swings this season but when it mattered they faced the challenge and prevailed. The 16-0 run in the second period of last nights game seemed to take the magic right out of the Magic. Kobe Bryant won the Most Valuable Player Award and rightfully so. He worked hard to claim his 4th Championship ring and no one can take that away from him. His leadership carried on after the game was over as he encouraged his teammates to live in the moment. He told them to forget about the adversity of last year and restrain from concerns about the next and to treasure the moment forever.
The Lakers players praised Coach Jackson for giving them the room to play the game the way it was intended. He did not try to mold them but allowed the best in them to present itself. Coach Jackson has not been able to get around like years past. The 64 year old has gone through hip replacement surgery said he was unable to push players like he did a decade ago. Physically he may have been a little slower but the fire of passion that pours from true champions still shown in his eyes. He said he was proud of this team for the self motivation they displayed. The bond between Coach and player was unmistakeable.
As for the Orlando Magic they ended their season with 1 finals game victory. This year it was not to be. As always in sports and competition there is the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. However, the Magic should not hold thier heads low. They reached the NBA Finals and they faced a powerful adversary with heart and passion. They fell to a great Championship team but this does not mean that they are not Champions in thier own right. The Magic will have to find solace in the fact that there is always the opportunity to find tha Magic again next year. Until next time remember to always be a good sport.
The Orlando Magic turned the ball over 20 times Sunday night and when the final second ticked off the clock in overtime they turned over the game as well. The Los Angeles Lakers seemed to want it more. The Lakers ended up winning 101-96 and they are taking that 2-0 series lead into Orlando on Tuesday night. Magic Courtney Lee missed a routine layup at the end of regulation that would have tied the series at 1 game each. You know that when the going gets tough the tough get going. The Lakers seem set for a date with destiny and a 15th NBA Title.
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Although the ball seems to be bouncing the Lakers way Kobe Bryant says there is nothing to be happy about. He wants this Championship as much as anyone but he knows that the series is not over until that final second tics off of their 4th win. They are only half way there and Kobe has been around long enough to know that the Magic will not simply lie down and give up in front of the hometown crowd in Orlando. Although the Magic still seem to be missing a beat they just missed splitting the series in Los Angeles. Rashard Lewis scored 34 points as the Lakers double teamed Dwight Howard all night long.
Kobe Bryant did not score 40 like in game 1 but he tossed in 29, which was just as effective. As the Lakers begin to smell the blood of their wounded victims that 15th Title is looming nearer and nearer. The Orlando Magic on the other hand is still dreaming of that first ever Finals victory. Kobe does not want his teammates to start celebrating yet.
He knows game 2 was too close for comfort and that the Magic are tough at home. If the truth were known Kobe is probably breathing a little easier. But the competitor in him knows that you can never leave your guard down. It must make him a little content to know that only 3 teams in NBA history have come back from a 2-0 deficit in the Finals. The Magic have to be aware of this as well.
Dwight Howard and the Magic may be wounded but some creatures only fight harder when wounded. He says they will have to fight harder to put everything together. The Magic know very well that losing game 3 would almost certainly leave them in a hopeless situation.
The Orlando Magic did not get to the NBA Finals on luck. It has been a season built on heartbreak but they have always found a way to prevail. Only time will tell if the Magic can reach down deep and pull out one more miracle. Orlando is a great team. Great teams find a way to win. But first the Orlando Magic will have to start playing as a team once again.
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Anticipation is building for the Thursday night tip off between the legendary Los Angeles Lakers and the upstart Orlando Magic. The Lakers are 12-6 in this years playoffs while the Magic are 12-7. The Lakers have the advantage of opening up the battle on their home court. It is no surprise that Los Angeles made their way to the finals again.
After all they have won 14 championships over the years and were in the finals last year even thought they lost to the Boston Celtics.
The Orlando Magic on the other hand has left more than one sports writer scratching their heads. The Magic have been underdogs from the get go. This has seemed to only encourage them to play harder. They came out unrepentantly victorious against Philadelphia, Boston and Cleveland on their way to meet the Lakers.
No team in NBA history has ever had the pleasure of eliminating three 60- win teams in a post season. Perhaps that time has come. Click here for NBAÂ finals odds.
If the Los Angeles Lakers intend to pull off their 15th Championship they are going to have to win the battle between the forwards. The match up between Gasol and Lewis is essential. Of course no one is underestimating the importance of Kobe Bryant. He is the key for the Lakers. Bryant has to be a dominant figure throughout the finals. He has to make his presence known. In addition Andrew Bynum will have to corral Dwight Howard and keep him away from the basket. The Lakers will also have to find a way to eliminate the Magic’s success from the 3-point range. The Magic have average almost 9 3-point conversions per game throughout the post season. It should be observed that Bryant has 5 technical fouls and if he gets 2 more he will be suspended for a game.
The Orlando Magic as mentioned above have made a living this season on shooting cleanly from the 3-point border. Dwight Howard has also walked right through single coverage on the box and if he continues to do so the Magic could stun. The Magic spread out defenses and make room for Howard to dominate. The other key to the Magic’s success will be the probable return of Jameer Nelson. His leadership potential and ability to give the Lakers headaches is well documented. Nelson has been out for four months with his shoulder injury and the chances of him coming in 100% are doubtful.
The Los Angeles Lakers have won 61 games in the finals over the years. The Magic are still looking for their first. The Magic are still dreaming about their first NBA Title whereas the Lakers have already won 14. The Lakers Kobe Bryant has 3 rings of his own and is looking hard for number 4. There is much discussion about Kobe winning the first 3 rings when former teammate Shaquil O’Neal was in Los Angeles. Kobe would love to win a ring now that he is out of O’Neal’s shadow.
The star-studded Lakers are a proven powerhouse led by legendary Coach Phil Jackson. Evan Van Gundy who won a finals ring as an assistant but reportedly has misplaced it coaches the Magic. All of this is fine and good but the tale will be told on the court. Some sports enthusiasts may fail to offer hope for the Magic. This only adds fuel to the Magic’s fire that burns even hotter when their ability is questioned.
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The NBA playoffs are officially at full capacity ramming speed and the past few nights have seen veterans and newcomers alike mixing it up with each other. From Derek Fischer putting Scola on his back, to Ron Artest and Kobe Bryant getting into it, to Rafer Alston smacking Eddie House upside the head – these playoffs are turning into an all out war. With the frenzy reaching a boiling point fans across the country are wondering what will happen next – who’s most likely to get a tech, and who’ll get ejected. This being the case the largest most successful sportsbook on the web posted odds on all things NBA Playoff fury!
Oddsmakers at BetUS.com posted the following NBA Playoffs odds on the boiling point:
Next Coach to get ejected during the playoffs:
- Mike Woodson ATLÂ Â 7/1
- Mike Brown CLEÂ Â 6/1
- Phil Jackson LALÂ Â 7/1
- Rick Adelman HOUÂ Â 6/1
- Doc Rivers BOSÂ Â 3/1
- Stan Van Gundy ORLÂ Â 4/1
- George Karl DENÂ Â 5/1
- Rick Carlisle DALÂ Â 5/1
Next Player to get ejected during the playoffs:
- Joe Johnson  15/1
- Josh Smith  15/1
- LeBron James  20/1
- Mo Williams  15/1
- Zydrunas Ilgauskas  20/1
- Kobe Bryant  6/1
- Pau Gasol  8/1
- Andrew Bynum  7/1
- Yao Ming  20/1
- Ron Artest  4/1
- Luis Scola  8/1
- Carl Landry  7/1
- Shane Battier  12/1
- Paul Pierce  12/1
- Ray Allen  15/1
- Rajon Rondo  8/1
- Eddie House  8/1
- Dwight Howard  15/1
- Rashard Lewis  15/1
- Dirk Nowitzki  20/1
- Carmelo Anthony  18/1
- Kenyon Martin  6/1
- Chris Andersen  7/1
Sports and NBA odds can be found BetUs.com
