NBA Playoff Picks

Friday night serves up three more big NBA matchups, including the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs.

Prior to Game 2, Mavs owner Mark Cuban talked about the hate he felt towards his team’s first-round opponent.

“I have a hard time being civil to [Spurs owner] Peter Holt at the board of governors meetings and he has a hard time being civil to me even though we both like each other,” Cuban is quoted as saying by ESPN.

“We can both be 0-80 and if those last two games are Spurs-Mavericks, it’s going to be like a playoff game because we dislike each other that much.”

The Spurs responded by blowing out the Mavs 102-88 in Game 2, covering as 3.5-point underdogs.

Now tied at 1-1 going into Game 3, sportsbook have the Spurs as 3-point road ‘dogs with the Total at 193.5.

In their last 16 games in San Antonio, the Dallas Mavericks are a very impressive 12-4 against the spread.

The Mavs have also been kind to bettors in their last 12 road games, with records of 10-2 SU and ATS.

The Spurs, for their part, are 12-3 SU and 11-4 ATS in their last 15 home games.

Looking at the Over/Under numbers of note, San Antonio has produced 7 Overs and only 1 Under in their last eight home games.

Sportsbook SPORTSBETTING.com is reporting early action coming in on the underdog Mavericks, with 63% of all the betting volume in this one so far tilted to the visitor.

Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets

The Utah Jazz showed everybody their mental toughness in Game 2 of their series against the Denver Nuggets on Monday.

After finding out that big man Mehmet Okur would be lost for the remainder of the playoffs, the Jazz proceeded to defeat the Nuggets 114-111, covering as 6.5-point underdogs.

The Jazz are back in Utah for the next two games and going into Game 3 as 2.5-point favorites with the Total at 216.

Some numbers of note for this matchup are:

The Jazz have been quite impressive in their last 11 home games, going 10-1 SU and 8-3 ATS and the last 10 times they’ve hosted the Denver Nuggets, they are 8-2 SU.

The Utah Jazz are also 9-2 SU and 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 when favored by 4-points or less.

In the Denver Nuggets’ last 20 when ‘dogged by 4-points or less, they are have only been 5 Overs but 15 Unders.

The sports betting public are leaning slightly to the visitor in this tilt, with Denver receiving 54% of the early betting action.

Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics

In other NBA playoff action, the Boston Celtics take a 2-0 series lead into Miami.

The Celtics were without Kevin Garnett in Game 2 but it didn’t matter, as Boston hammered the Miami Heat, 106-77 — the Celtics covered easily as 1.5-point favorites.

Some suggested that the Miami Heat hung star guard Dwyane Wade out to dry as D-Wade scored a team-high 29-points and was the only player to hit double-digits in points with the exception of forward Michael Beasley, who chipped in with 13.

The Heat should play better in their first home game of these playoffs, as they are 4-point home faves with the Total is set at 182.

The Miami Heat have struggled in their last eight home games against the Boston Celtics, are 2-6 SU and an even worse 1-7 ATS.

Enjoy all the action

Check the updated NBA Basketball Odds

NFL Betting: 2010 Regular Season Week 1 Lines

The NFL draft may be tonight but bettors can look ahead to Week 1 of the 2010 regular season.
The league announced its complete schedule and the season kicks off with the defending champion New Orleans Saints hosting the Minnesota Vikings with the prospective Week 1 line seeing the Saints favored by 3.5-points. Football bets

Meanwhile, the defending AFC champion Indianapolis Colts are in Houston to play the Texans with the Colts listed as field goal road favorites.

The Sunday-nighter sees a classic rivalry as the Dallas Cowboys in the nation’s capital to play Donovan McNabb and the Washington Redskins; the game is listed as a Pick’em.

Week 1 concludes with a Monday Night double-header.
The Baltimore Ravens are in New York to play the Jets in the new Meadowlands Stadium with the home team listed at -1.5.

Game 2 of MNF sees the San Diego Chargers on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs — the LT-less Chargers are favored by 6-points.

More Prospective Week 1 lines Football bets.

Ben Roethlisberger Trade Rumors

Big Ben Roethlisberger has been suspended 6 games for violating the Leagues personal conduct policy, resulting from multiple accusations of sexual abuse towards women. The most recent being an incident at a bar that resulted in a full scale investigation of the Steelers Quarterback.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell handed down the punishment today, stating:
“I recognize that the allegations in Georgia were disputed and that they did not result in criminal charges being filed against you. My decision today is not based on a finding that you violated Georgia law, or on a conclusion that differs from that of the local prosecutor. That said, you are held to a higher standard as an NFL player, and there is nothing about your conduct in Milledgeville that can remotely be described as admirable, responsible, or consistent with either the values of the league or the expectations of our fans.”

Almost as soon as the suspension was handed down, rumors of a Roethlisberger trade began swirling around the NFL. When plied for info, it has been confirmed that the Steelers are in fact shopping around the 2 time Super Bowl winning quarterback, and would be looking for a Top 10 draft pick in this years draft.
So that leads to the question: Who would make this trade? For starters, the Washington Redskins would have been the perfect candidate, a team that rarely looks at the bottom line when making a trade or signing a player, but they just signed Donovan McNabb at QB.

The next logical choice would have been the Rams, but as soon as that speculation started, it was squashed by the Steelers - they already spoke to the Rams on the weekend and they turned it down!
The Browns? Nope, division rivals.

So who’s left? What team could use a proven winner entering his prime and would be willing to not only take on a ridiculous contract, but bail on a top 10 pick AND be crazy enough to know that he was going to be parked for 6 weeks?
There can be only one.
The Oakland Raiders.
The Raiders fit this mold like Al Davis in a sarcophagus. And at #8, the Steelers still have a great shot at a decent QB to develop. The deal would most likely include the Steelers #18  pick, which still gives the Raiders an opportunity to baffle the pundits and pick Tim Tebow to se at halfback.

Most of Ben’s pay came by way of bonus anyway, so regardless the Steelers have to eat  the salary, they might as well get something going for the money they already spent.

We’ll know within 24 hours when the draft kicks off tomorrow, until then, keep an eye on the NFL Draft betting Odds, if the Steelers jump into the top 10, those numbers will change big time!

NFL Draft Betting Odds

While the NFL has tweaked the format of its draft — the first round takes place on Thursday, the second to third on Friday and last four on Saturday — the basics remain the same and the worst team, the St. Louis Rams, will be selecting first.


Oklahoma Sooners QB Sam Bradford is being touted by many as the first-selection overall and seeing as the Rams have released QB Marc Bulger, there seems to be logic to that.


In a recent USA Today mock draft, an eight-analyst panel unanimously predicted that Bradford would be the player that the St. Louis Rams would select in the one-spot.


According to sportsbooks, Bradford is an overwhelming favorite to be No. 1 overall at -1200 and +550 not to be the top pick.  Checking online sportsbook SPORTSBETTING.com, the Sooners’ signal-caller is also listed at +500 to be the two-pick overall. There was a movement to award last year’s Heisman Trophy to Nebraska Cornhusker defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

NHL Betting: Varlamov Starting For Caps?

As mentioned, Game 3 of the Washington Capitals-Montreal Canadiens series goes tonight and Washington is strongly hinting that Semyon Varlamov will start in net.

The Caps are -170 road and puckline faves for tonight’s game and the Total is set at 6.
Although Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau didn’t officially announce who the starting goalie will be, many speculated that it would not be Jose Theodore who started Game 1 and lasted only 7:58 of Game 2 — Theodore allowed two goals on two shots.

According to the Washington Post, it looks like Varlamov will indeed start between the pipes.
The Post’s Tarik El-Bashir noticed that Varlamov was the first off the ice at Monday’s practice — a sign that he could start tonight.

Varlamov has captain Alexander Ovechkin’s support.

“Last year, [Varlamov] stepped up for us and he won the series against the Rangers and he has experience,” Ovechkin is quoted as saying by ESPN. “He knows how to play in playoffs, so it’s good.”

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