Celtics visit the Big Easy to take on reeling Hornets

Basketball Betting Lines

02/11/2009 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - For a team that's been limping into the upcoming All-Star break, a matchup against the defending world champions isn't what the New Orleans Hornets need right now.

The Hornets will try to turn around their recent struggles when the Boston Celtics make their first and only visit to New Orleans Arena of the season.

New Orleans enters this evening's showdown having dropped five of its last seven games and has played its last four tests without All-Star point guard Chris Paul, who's still dealing with a strained right groin and is iffy to return tonight.

In their most recent outing, the Hornets shot a woeful 29.5 percent from the field in an 85-80 setback at Memphis on Monday.

Peja Stojakovic scored 23 points for a short-handed New Orleans team that was missing both Paul and fellow All-Star David West, who was serving a one-game suspension for committing a flagrant foul in Sunday's 101-97 win over Minnesota.

Without West and center Tyson Chandler (sprained ankle), the Hornets were outrebounded by a whopping 64-38 margin by Memphis.

New Orleans' slide has dropped the team 4 1/2 games behind first-place San Antonio in the Southwest Division standings and into a tie with Dallas for the fifth seed in the Western Conference.

The powerful Celtics own the Eastern Conference's best record at 42-11, but they've lost two of their last three outings since a 12-game winning streak from January 11-February 3. Both of those losses came at home to two of the West's top teams, an overtime defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers last Thursday and Sunday's 105-99 ousting by San Antonio.

Kevin Garnett compiled 26 points and 12 rebounds against the Spurs, while fellow All-Stars Paul Pierce and Ray Allen netted 19 and 18 points, respectively.

The Celtics will be bringing a seven-game road winning streak into tonight's tilt and are an impressive 18-7 as the visitor this season. Boston will be playing the first matchup of a tough six-game road trip that resumes after the All-Star break and includes stops in Dallas, Utah, Phoenix and Denver.

Boston dealt the Hornets a 94-82 defeat in Beantown back in December, but the Celtics have lost in both of their last two games as the visiting team in this series.

Sprotsbook Basketball Betting News

<< Report: Favre to call it quits, again
Bristol, CT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre is apparently ready to call it a career, and this time it could be for real. ESPN has reported that Favre has instructed his agent to tell the New York Jets of his de

<< Report: Roberto Alomar sued by ex-girlfriend claiming he has AIDS
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former major league second baseman Roberto Alomar was sued for allegedly having unprotected sex with his ex-girlfriend and not notifying her of his HIV status, even though he has full blown AIDS, accordi

<< Roddick wins; Fish downs Hewitt in San Jose
San Jose, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Americans Andy Roddick and Mardy Fish won their first-round matches Tuesday at the $600,000 SAP Open, the first U.S. stop on the 2009 ATP World Tour. Roddick, a three-time tournament champion and

<< Warriors use offensive outburst to bury Knicks
Oakland, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Stephen Jackson posted 35 points, six rebounds and 10 assists, as the Golden State Warriors scored their most points in 15 years in a 144-127 blowout of the New York Knicks. Kelenna Azubuike had 22 points

<< Robredo, Ferrero win Costa do Sauipe openers
Costa do Sauipe, Brazil (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Second-seeded Spaniard Tommy Robredo and former world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero were among Tuesday's first- round winners at the $562,500 Brasil Open. Robredo earned a 6-4, 6-2 win over Brazi

Pacers, Bucks square off in Milwaukee >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A pair of teams coming off uplifting victories will square off tonight at Milwaukee's Bradley Center, where the injury-plagued Bucks entertain the Indiana Pacers in a Central Division clash. Despite being without three key

Pistons welcome Hawks to the Motor City >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Fresh off a devastating loss, the Detroit Pistons will aim for a quick turnaround when the slumping club hosts the Atlanta Hawks tonight at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Detroit blew a 15-point fourth-quarter lead in last ni

Sixers finish homestand vs. Grizzlies >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia 76ers hope to close a long homestand out on a positive note tonight, when the road-challenged Memphis Grizzlies enter the Wachovia Center in the first meeting between the teams this season. The Sixers' sev

Big Ten bout pits Nittany Lions against Boilermakers >>
West Lafayette, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 20th-ranked Purdue Boilermakers will seek revenge in tonight's Big Ten Conference clash with Penn State Nittany Lions. Penn State recorded a thrilling 67-64 victory over Purdue on January 6th, cutti

Sooners set sights on 12th straight win >>
Waco, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The second-ranked Oklahoma Sooners continue their run through the Big 12, as they make a stop in Waco this evening for a conference clash with the Baylor Bears. The Sooners are a perfect 9-0 in league play thus fa

2007 NFL Football Betting Preview


“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.

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.