Cavs resume lengthy homestand vs. reeling Pacers
Basketball Betting Lines
02/15/2012 -
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cleveland Cavaliers will play their fourth game on a
lengthy nine-game homestand tonight, when they entertain the Central Division-
rival Indiana Pacers from Quicken Loans Arena.
Cleveland is in the midst of the longest homestand in franchise history, and
the last team to have a residency of nine or more games was the Vancouver
Grizzlies in the 1999-00 season. After opening the homestand with a win versus
the LA Clippers, Cleveland has dropped consecutive contests to Milwaukee and
Philadelphia.
In Saturday's 99-84 loss to the 76ers, Antawn Jamison paced the undermanned
Cavaliers with 20 points, while Ramon Sessions and Alonzo Gee had 19 and 17,
respectively, in Cleveland's fifth loss in seven tries. Cleveland was playing
its third straight game without its No. 1 pick Kyrie Irving because of a
concussion. The Cavs were also without guard Anthony Parker (lower back
spasms) and center Anderson Varejao (broken right wrist).
"Like I told the guys, this is the NBA, guys get hurt. It provides
opportunities for other guys and you just have to be ready to play," Cavaliers
head coach Byron Scott said. "Hopefully, we'll get over this little hangover
tonight and be ready to play Wednesday."
Irving was cleared to resume playing by Cavaliers Team Physician Dr. AJ
Cianflocco early Wednesday morning. Scott has also said center Semih Erden
will start Wednesday against Indiana.
Scott's team is 5-7 in the Forest City this season and will also welcome the
Heat, Kings, Pistons, Hornets and Celtics to town on the current homestand.
Sessions has filled in for Irving and is averaging 12.9 points, 9.6 assists
and 3.9 rebounds in his last seven games. Over his last six games, Jamison is
averaging 23.5 points and 9.5 rebounds.
Gee is posting 14.5 points per game in his previous eight. Cleveland has lost
its last five games against Eastern Conference opponents.
Indiana hopes to put the brakes on a season-high four-game losing streak and
is coming off Tuesday's 105-90 home loss versus Miami.
Despite outscoring the Heat by a 32-15 margin in the final stanza, the Pacers
put themselves in a big hole early on and trailed 33-16 after the first 12
minutes of action and never recovered.
David West had 14 points, Paul George and A.J. Price both had 12 and Dahntay
Jones and Roy Hibbert added 10 points apiece for the Pacers, who have lost
five of six games and allowed 60-plus points in the first half for the second
consecutive game.
"They came out and jumped all over us. There was no way that we could battle
back from the hole that we dug for ourselves," said Jones. "They're one of the
better teams in the NBA and they're not going to let you back in when they get
you down the way they got us down tonight."
The Pacers, who are 10-7 away from home, will open a fairly easy three-game
homestand versus the Nets, Bobcats and Hornets following tonight's game.
Indiana defeated the Cavaliers, 98-91, in overtime on Dec. 30 this season at
home and has won six in a row in this series. Cleveland is still 13-7 in the
previous 20 matchups with Indiana, which has won three straight after losing
its last 10 trips to the Q.
<< Panthers give D Strachan one-year extension
Sunrise, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Florida Panthers signed defenseman Tyson
Strachan to a one-year contract extension on Wednesday.
Strachan has one goal and two assists in eight games this season for the
Panthers.
The 27-year-o
<< Magic welcome 76ers to Amway Center
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Orlando Magic eye a third straight win this evening
when they welcome the Philadelphia 76ers to Amway Center.
Orlando has started to play its best basketball of the season, yet the last
two games it hasn't had
<< Thunder make a stop in Houston
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Oklahoma City makes a quick trip down to south Texas on
Wednesday to take on the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center.
The Thunder improved to an NBA-best 22-6 on Tuesday in OKC, topping Utah for
the second time in four
<< Mavs host Nuggets in Big D
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dirk Nowitzki has finally started to heat up and the Dallas
Mavericks will try to ride their superstar to a fifth straight victory when
they host the Denver Nuggets tonight in Big D.
Nowitzki had an uncharacteristicall
<< Hawks continue road trip at Phoenix
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Atlanta will resume a five-game road trip tonight in the
desert when it takes on a Phoenix Suns team finishing up a tough three games
in three nights stretch.
The Hawks, who will also visit Portland, Chicago and New
Wildcats and Hoosiers mix it up in Big Ten action >>
Bloomington, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Big Ten Conference rivals square off in
Bloomington this evening, as the Northwestern Wildcats have come calling on
the 18th-ranked Indiana Hoosiers.
Northwestern comes in sporting a 15-9 overall record, wh
Lions visit Gaels in pivotal WCC clash >>
Moraga, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 21st-ranked Saint Mary's-CA Gaels put their
perfect home record on the line for the final time this season, as they
entertain the Lions of Loyola Marymount in a West Coast Conference clash
tonight at McKeon Pav
Lobos head to San Diego to take on 13th-ranked Aztecs >>
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Entering the week there were three teams tied
atop the Mountain West Conference standings and two of those programs go up
against each other tonight, as the 13th-ranked San Diego State Aztecs
entertain the New M
Oklahoma State and Missouri battle in Big 12 brawl >>
Columbia, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The third-ranked Missouri Tigers continue
their quest for a Big 12 regular season crown, as they welcome the Oklahoma
State Cowboys to Columbia this evening, for a conference showdown at Mizzou
Arena.
Frank H
ACC showdown pits Heels against 'Canes >>
Coral Gables, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The eighth-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels
take to the road in search of their fourth straight ACC win away from Chapel
Hill, as they invade the BankUnited Center to take on the dangerous Miami-
Florida Hurri
MySportsbook.com favors Bears, Bengals, Chargers and Colts to remain perfect
LAS VEGAS , Sept. 28 - Two big match-ups of undefeated teams have fans salivating at the Week Four schedule in the NFL. The Chicago Bears stifling defense looks to provide a less than hospitable welcome to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night in a battle of two 3-0 teams in the NFC conference. In the AFC, the San Diego Chargers (2-0) head to Maryland to face the surprising Baltimore Ravens (3-0) as both try to keep pace atop the conference standings. Betting Lines makers at MySportsbook.com, online sportsbook and casino, have set the Bears as 3.5 point favorites while the Chargers are a 2.5 point bet.
Of the three remaining undefeated teams, only one, New Orleans, enters this week's game as an underdog. Despite an emotional and resounding win over Atlanta on Monday night, the Saints are a 7.5 point underdog against the struggling Carolina Panthers. Indianapolis looks to stay perfect when they face the New York Jets as a 9 point road favorite while the Cincinnati Bengals are a 6 point favorite at home to the New England Patriots.
Six teams enter the week still looking for their first win, with a seventh, Tampa Bay, on a bye week. The prospect of dropping another game would not bode well for a potential playoff run. Since 1990, just three teams -- the 1992 Chargers, 1995 Detroit Lions and 1998 Buffalo Bills -- have overcome losing their first three games of the season to earn a postseason berth. And only the Chargers managed to accomplish the feat after starting 0-4.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your NFL football betting needs.
El Duque expected to throw Tuesday
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.
Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.
El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.
MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds.
Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.
New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.
Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''
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