NBA's best meets worst as Cavs host Nets
Basketball Betting Lines
02/09/2010 -
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The teams with the best and worst records in the NBA this
season will go head-to-head at Quicken Loans Arena tonight, where the
powerhouse Cleveland Cavaliers put an 11-game win streak on the line against
the downtrodden New Jersey Nets.
Cleveland's current surge, tied with Boston and the Los Angeles Lakers for the
longest string of consecutive wins in the league in 2009-10, has given the
championship hopefuls a 41-11 record for the season and a comfortable six-game
advantage over Southeast Division leader Orlando for the top spot in the
Eastern Conference. The Cavs have a 1 1/2-game edge on the Lakers for the best
mark in the NBA.
The Cavaliers kept up their winning ways with Saturday's 113-106 home verdict
over the New York Knicks, with LeBron James once again leading the way. The
reigning league MVP established a franchise-best with 35 first-half points to
help Cleveland build a commanding 74-54 lead at intermission, and finished
with 47 along with eight rebounds and eight assists.
"I was able to shoot the ball extremely well, but still get my teammates
involved," said James, who was named the Eastern Conference's Player of the
Week on Monday. "When I'm on fire, I can go for a lot of points, but getting
my teammates involved is good for us in the long run."
Shaquille O'Neal chipped in 19 points and Anthony Parker scored 11 for the
Cavaliers, who continue to win despite injuries to two key members in Mo
Williams and Delonte West.
West, who missed the last eight games due to a broken ring finger, did
practice without incident on Monday and could be back in the lineup for
tonight's matchup. Williams, who's second to James among Cleveland players in
scoring (16.9 ppg) and assists (5.1 apg), hasn't played since January 19
because of a sprained left shoulder and is sidelined indefinitely.
The Cavs will be shooting for a 10th straight home victory tonight and are an
NBA-best 22-3 at Quicken Loans Arena this season. In contrast, New Jersey is a
woeful 1-26 on the road and has dropped 14 in a row since its lone triumph as
the visitor, a 103-101 decision over Chicago on December 8.
The 4-46 Nets have also lost six straight games overall and 17 of its last 18
contests following Saturday's 99-92 defeat at Detroit. The team's latest loss
was further marred by an injury to top player Devin Harris, who had to be
helped off the court after colliding with teammate Jarvis Hayes in the game's
final minute.
Harris, who put up a team-best 21 points and seven assists in the loss, was
diagnosed with a sprained left shoulder and will be a game-time decision this
evening. The 26-year-old missed nearly two weeks with a similar ailment last
season.
This is my third sprained AC joint, so I just know how to brace it to make it
feel better," Harris said after the game. "It's not as bad as the one I had
last year."
Hayes bruised his left shin as a result of the incident and is expected to
play tonight.
The Nets will be attempting to stop a stretch of six straight losses to the
Cavaliers, with three of those defeats having taken place in Cleveland. The
Cavs topped New Jersey by a 99-89 score at Quicken Loans Arena back on
December 15.
<< Pacers, Bulls clash at Conseco Fieldhouse
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A Chicago Bulls squad that's struggled on the road for much
of this season will try to turn around its historic lack of success at
Indianapolis' Conseco Fieldhouse in tonight's Central Division clash with the
Indiana Pacers.
<< Vols and 'Dores duke it out in pivotal SEC clash
Nashville, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 12th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers will
take on the 22nd-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores this evening with an SEC battle
and state bragging rights on the line.
Tennessee has won its last three games to move to
<< Ranked foes meet in Big Ten battle
East Lansing, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 10th-ranked Michigan State Spartans
will try to keep their slim hold on the top spot in the Big Ten tonight, as
they host the sixth-ranked Purdue Boilermakers at Mackey Arena.
After opening their Big T
<< Illini and Badgers square off in Big Ten brawl
Madison, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Illinois Fighting Illini carry a four-game
win streak into tonight's Big Ten Conference battle with the 11th-ranked
Wisconsin Badgers, who are tough to beat in Madison.
Illinois has quietly gotten itself in
<< Alabama visits Kentucky in SEC action
Lexington, KY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Alabama Crimson Tide invade Rupp Arena
this evening for an SEC clash with the third-ranked Kentucky Wildcats.
Alabama is a respectable 13-10 overall, but that record is overshadowed by a
3-6 mark versus l
Sixers shoot for season-high 5th straight win vs. Wolves >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The last time Minnesota and Philadelphia got together the
Sixers blew a 20-point lead en route to an overtime loss. The 76ers will try
to maintain any sort of advantage tonight, when they try to extend their
season high winni
Skidding Heat host Rockets >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat hope a return to south
Florida will cure their recent woes, as they try to halt a five-game losing
streak Tuesday versus the Houston Rockets at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Miami has fallen into a
Kings hope to snap long road losing streak in MSG vs. Knicks >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Wins have been hard to come by lately for the Sacramento
Kings, who will try to put the brakes on a six-game losing streak Tuesday
night against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
The Kings opened a three-game e
Thunder close out trip in Portland >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Oklahoma City Thunder hope to finish off a three-game
road trip in perfect fashion on Tuesday when they meet a Portland Trail
Blazers club minus All-Star Brandon Roy at the Rose Garden.
The Thunder improved t
Wizards return to hardwood in Charlotte >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Wizards return to the court after a slightly
longer break than anticipated in tonight's clash with the Charlotte Bobcats
from Time Warner Cable Arena.
Washington has not played since posting an impres
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Big East Conference odds
Work left to do: Villanova, Syracuse, DePaul, West Virginia, Providence
Notre Dame and Louisville appear to have done enough to make the move, so we'll make them locks. The Cardinals, despite a modest RPI, are trending way up and have clinched at least a tie for third in the Big East, which should be more than enough with their pair of big road wins. Villanova got back to .500 and gets back to more solid footing. Syracuse got a very important road win and crippled a fellow contender in the process. West Virginia's fate could be in its hands Tuesday at Pitt.
Work left to do:
Villanova [18-9 (7-7), RPI: 21, SOS: 5] Pounded Rutgers to get back to .500. If Cats can get their last two (at UConn, vs. Syracuse), that should be enough with strong computer numbers and a host of wins away from The Pavilion. The Cats have beaten Texas and swept the Big 5 (never easy in Philly), but have a couple of losses to bubble teams (Xavier, Drexel), too. I still think they'll be OK, possibly even at 8-8.
Syracuse [20-8 (9-5), RPI: 53, SOS: 62] History says 10 wins will be plenty, but it might be hard for the Orange to get that last one with a final two vs. G'town, which is trying to win the league title, and at Villanova, which will be desperate for a W. The relative lack of nonconference heft and the weak computer numbers are still concerns, but the Orange have won four in a row and got a very, very big win at Providence on Saturday.
DePaul [16-12 (8-7), RPI: 54, SOS: 18] Beat Cincy and should get past South Florida to get to 9-7, but then what? They have beaten Kansas and Cal (right after the DeVon Hardin injury) earlier this season, but also have lost to Bradley and Purdue, among others. They'll likely need a couple of BE tourney wins, too, but we'll see ...
West Virginia [19-7 (8-6), RPI: 58, SOS: 125] The game at Pitt on Tuesday night could decide the Mountaineers' fate (barring a deep tournament run). They can still get to 9-7 in the Big East without it by beating Cincinnati, but the nine wins would be against UConn, Villanova, St. John's, South Florida, DePaul, Rutgers, Seton Hall twice and the Bearcats. Beating bubble foes is fine, but where's the beef? Outside of beating PG-less UCLA in nonconference play (still a top quality win), there's not a lot to fall back on (besides maybe NC State). WVU vs. Syracuse would be an interesting debate, as the teams don't play in the Big East regular season. WVU has the best win, but Cuse has played the much better schedule.
Providence [17-10 (7-7), RPI: 70, SOS: 33] The Friars likely saw their at-large hopes die at home in the four-point loss to Syracuse, barring an unexpected run to the Big East semis or more. The RPI, bad already, won't be helped by playing St. John's and South Florida in the final two league games.
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