Timberwolves open homestand vs. Bobcats
Basketball Betting Lines
02/21/2007 -
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Timberwolves hope home is where the
heart is when the struggling club opens up a five-game homestand this evening
against the Charlotte Bobcats at the Target Center.
The Timberwolves have lost six of their last nine contests and hold just a
one-half game lead over three teams -- the Clippers, Warriors and Hornets --
for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.
Minnesota's most recent loss came on Tuesday against Washington, which never
trailed en route to a 112-100 home win over the Timberwolves.
Kevin Garnett had 26 points and 13 rebounds for Minnesota, which fell to a
dismal 9-19 on the road this season. However, the club is a healthy 16-9 as
the host. Ricky Davis ended with 24 points and Mike James scored 20 for the
Timberwolves.
It promises to be no easy homestand for Minnesota, which has won three in a
row at home, as Phoenix, Washington, Dallas and Utah will all come to town
over the next week and a half.
More good news for the Timberwolves is the fact that they have won three of
their last four over the young Charlotte Bobcats. The two teams will meet for
the second and final time this season with Charlotte aiming for its first-ever
victory in Minnesota. The Bobcats are winless in two attempts so far in
franchise history.
Charlotte comes in on a winning note after Raymond Felton scored 21 points and
doled out 11 assists, and the Bobcats topped the New Orleans/Oklahoma City
Hornets, 104-100, on Tuesday.
Gerald Wallace also tallied 21 points, and grabbed seven rebounds for the
Bobcats, who won their second in a row. Emeka Okafor was a force, finishing
with 16 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocked shots.
Adam Morrison added 18 points off the bench, and Derek Anderson scored 12,
including two clutch free throws with 6.4 seconds left to ice the game.
Brevin Knight was a late scratch for the Bobcats with a sore right groin and,
along with guard Jeff McInnis (sprained right ankle) and forward Sean May
(sore right knee), is questionable for tonight's game.
Charlotte is 8-18 on the road so far this year and will next return home for a
pair of games beginning with a tilt against Philadelphia on Friday.
<< Magic, Pistons play front end of home-and-home set
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic open a home-and-
home set tonight when the two teams square off at The Palace of Auburn
Hills.
Detroit comes into the game on a winning note after holding on for an 84-83
win over t
<< Nets open homestand against Hornets
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New Jersey Nets open up a five-game homestand this
evening when they welcome the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets to the
Continental Airlines Arena.
However, the big question for the Nets is how many of those games s
<< Cavs, Raptors meet in Toronto
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cleveland Cavaliers conclude a three-game road trip
tonight when they travel to Toronto to battle the Raptors at Air Canada
Centre.
Cleveland has split the first two games of its trek so far. The Cavaliers were
downe
<< Knicks visit Atlantic Division-rival Philadelphia
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia 76ers conclude their seven-game homestand
tonight when they welcome the Atlantic Division rival New York Knicks to the
Wachovia Center.
The Sixers fell to 2-4 on their stand before the All-Star break when
<< Florida inches closer to SEC crown, as Gators host Gamecocks
Gainesville, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The third-ranked Florida Gators have
been knocked off their perch atop the college basketball world, at
least temporarily, but they continue to rule the SEC and are heavy
favorit
Celtics continue swing in Phoenix >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Pacific Division-leading Phoenix Suns welcome the
NBA-worst Boston Celtics tonight to US Airways Center.
This is the second and final meeting of the campaign between the squads. On
December 8th, Shawn Marion poured i
Kobe, Lakers get back to work against Portland >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - All-Star Game MVP Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers
return to the court tonight, as they welcome the Portland Trail Blazers to the
Staples Center.
Bryant scored 31 points, dished out six assists and had six steals to
Miami's Pat Riley returns to bench in Houston >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Miami Heat welcome head coach Pat Riley back to
the bench tonight when they travel to Houston to battle the Rockets at the
Toyota Center.
Riley announced before the Heat's 104-85 win over Portland last Tuesday he
wo
Warriors return from All-Star break to host Grizzlies >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Golden State Warriors play their first game back from
the All-Star break, as they welcome the Memphis Grizzlies tonight to ORACLE
Arena.
Golden State went into the break on a winning note. On February 14th, Stephen
J
Spurs need to put together some big winning streaks >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Antonio Spurs own a solid 36-18 record, but that
is not good enough in the Southwest Division. Dallas, which is the
defending Western Conference champion, is at the top of the division, 8 1/2
games a
“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.
New York Giants betting lines
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.
Dallas Cowboys betting lines
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.
Oakland Raiders betting lines
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.
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