11/21/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New Orleans Hornets return to the Ford Center Friday as they take on the woeful Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Hornets played 71 home games at the Ford Center in the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons in the wake of the destruction of Hurricane Katrina before returning back to the Big Easy.
While toiling in Oklahoma City, the Hornets averaged over 18,000 fans per game and the NBA was so impressed by the local faithful that the city rose to the top of the list for a future expansion team or as a possible destination for a relocation.
That came to fruition in the offseason as the Seattle SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma, and the Thunder were born.
Things haven't been all peaches and cream on the court for the Thunder, however. Oklahoma City lost its ninth straight contest Wednesday when Chris Kaman led a balanced attack with 25 points and 14 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Thunder, 108-88, in a battle of the league's two worst teams.
With a combined record of 2-19 coming into the contest, the Clippers and Thunder had the two worst winning percentages in the NBA.
Kevin Durant had a team-high 18 points for the Thunder, who have now dropped nine straight games since a win over Minnesota. Damien Wilkins scored 17 points, while Russell Westbrook came off the bench to score 10 points and dish out four assists.
Meanwhile, the Hornets have been struggling themselves. Sacramento's John Salmons led five Kings in double figures with 29 points and six assists in Sacramento's 105-96 victory over New Orleans on Wednesday.
Chris Paul, nursing a balky ankle, logged 20 points and 15 assists, while David West scored 22 points for New Orleans, which has lost three of four. Tyson Chandler posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds in defeat.
On the injury front for the Hornets, swingman Morris Peterson is expected to miss Friday's game with a sore right knee.
The Hornets have won five straight over the Seattle/Oklahoma City franchise.
<< Disappointed Bruins battle Salukis in NYC
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A third place finish in the 2K Sports Classic
Benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer is on the line this evening, as the fourth-
ranked UCLA Bruins meet the Southern Illinois Salukis at Madison Square
Garden.
The Brui
<< Hurricanes blow into St. Thomas to take on Golden Eagles
St. Thomas, VI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 2008 Paradise Jam kicks off today, with
the 17th-ranked Miami-Florida Hurricanes taking on the Southern Mississippi
Golden Eagles at the Sports and Fitness Center in the Virgin Islands. The
winner of this f
<< Short-handed Tar Heels take on Gauchos
Santa Barbara, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The UC-Santa Barbara Gauchos play host to
a top-ranked team for the first time since 1991, as they welcome the number
one ranked North Carolina Tar Heels to the Thunderdome for non-conference
action this eve
<< No. 21 Davidson hosts Winthrop
Davidson, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 21st-ranked Davidson Wildcats try to get
right back into the win column tonight as they face off against the Winthrop
Eagles in non-conference action in North Carolina.
Davidson, which became the darling o
Jazz pay a visit to San Antonio >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Utah Jazz head south to the Alamo City in search of
their third consecutive win Friday when they meet the San Antonio Spurs at the
AT&T Center.
C.J. Miles scored 25 points to lead Utah to a 105-94 comeback
Islanders shoot for fourth straight win in test with Devils >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Islanders will try to extend their season-high
winning streak to four games when they visit the New Jersey Devils for an
Atlantic Division matchup at Prudential Center.
After sweeping a home-and-home series wi
Storm front: 'Canes try to extend win streak vs. Coyotes >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Carolina Hurricanes will try to earn their first three-
game winning streak of the season when they welcome the sliding Phoenix
Coyotes for tonight's meeting at RBC Center.
The Hurricanes are in the midst of a four-gam
Sliding Sabres welcome Flyers to western New York >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The skidding Buffalo Sabres will attempt to halt a three-
game losing streak in the opener of a four-game homestand tonight against the
Philadelphia Flyers at HSBC Arena.
Buffalo began the season with four straight wins an
MySportsbook.com refunds all bets on Oakland, Green Bay and Tampa Bay from NFL week one.
(September 14) – Week one of NFL action saw three teams go scoreless for the first time since 1977. Another four were unable to get a touchdown and almost half of the underdogs covered the spread. Those three teams saved bettors at MySportsbook.com from losing out completely, thanks to the company’s unique NFL Shutout Rule -- which ensures that if the team you backed goes scoreless, your wager is refunded.
Sportsbook refunded tens of thousands of dollars to customers who bet on Oakland, Green Bay and Tampa Bay, the three teams that stunk up the field so badly that their fans and backers never had a chance to get up from their couches and cheer. In the spirit of the low scoring start to the season, odds makers at the world’s largest online sportsbook and casino have set odds on how many total shutouts there will be this season.
MySportsbook.com has posted updated sports betting lines for week two of the season. Ben Roethlisberger’s health status is still questionable, so Willie Parker will try to lead Pittsburgh again as they travel to Jacksonville as a one point favorite. After beating up on his little brother last week, Peyton Manning will look to lead the Colts to victory against Houston. Indianapolis is a whopping 13.5 favorite in the match-up.
Seattle, last year’s highest scoring team, showed the power of their defense with their gritty 9-6 win in Motown over the ravenous Lions. They take their act back home to the comforts of Qwest Field where they will face the resurgent Arizona Cardinals. The Seahawks are favored by a touchdown.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Visa needs.
“You play to win the game!”
Those are the words of notoriously intense head coach Herman Edwards. Unfortunately, from a bettors’ perspective, most coaches don’t feel that way about the NFL preseason. August is a time to evaluate young players, finalize the depth chart and pray your star players stay healthy.
The trick to making money during the exhibition schedule is identifying coaches – like Edwards – who can’t stand losing even when there's nothing on the line.
The New York Jets betting won 15 of 21 preseason games and went 14-7 against the spread (ATS) during Edwards’s five-year tenure with the club. In his first season as the Kansas City Chiefs field boss, the team improved from 0-4 to 2-2.
Identifying win-a-holics like Edwards is a good start if you plan betting the preseason – even though most say you shouldn’t ... but what the hell do they know anyway?
Here’s a brief rundown of two teams that have a habit of winning during the second-stringers’ season, and another club that has a good chance of exceeding this year.
Playing in the media hub of North America can be stressful but the press can’t write anything negative about the way Tom Coughlin’s boys play in the preseason. The Giants won and covered all four games last summer, improving their record to 7-1 both straight up (SU) and against the spread over the last two years.
Coughlin has shown he’s not afraid to give his starters more time in the second preseason game than most of his colleagues, no doubt one of the reasons his team has been so dominant.
Bettors can count on America’s team early on. The Cowboys are 14-6 both SU and ATS since 2002 in warm-up contests. Former coach Bill Parcells, the coach of the team the last four years, has an intimidating, in-your-face presence – surely a reason Dallas has had so much early success.
The Big Tuna won’t be strolling the sidelines with looks of disgust, but new coach Wade Phillips will be anxious to make a good first impression for owner Jerry Jones.
Dallas plays the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos before things get serious. They then face the Houston Texans in their third contest (the game starters see most game time) and finish off with the Minnesota Vikings.
Expect a Dallas team able to walk away with another 3-1 preseason record.
This team scored a league-worst 12 offensive touchdowns last season, so the rookies and veterans each have something to prove. There’s a bounty of first-unit jobs up for grabs and plenty of bodies competing for those slots.
First-time head coach Lane Kiffin will be eager to impress an owner who employs the philosophy, “Just win, baby!”
The 32-year-old Kiffin has to command respect from a locker room full of players older than him. All of these factors should lead to purpose in preseason.
Don’t forget: before playing like a team that belonged in NFL Europe, Oakland went 4-1 (both SU and ATS) in exhibition games.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football wagering needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting