Sixers try to right the ship in Cleveland
Basketball Betting Lines
02/11/2012 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia 76ers will try to put the brakes on their first losing streak of the season when they square off with a Cleveland team that will be minus rookie star Kyrie Irving for a third consecutive game.
The Sixers closed out a seven-game stretch that head coach Doug Collins dubbed "Death Row" by faltering a little bit. The Sixers were 4-3 on the challenging stretch against NBA powerhouses Orlando, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio and the Clippers but dropped the final two, losing to the Spurs and then falling 78-77 to the Clips when Chris Paul hit the game- winning shot with 3.2 seconds remaining on Friday.
A pair of Lou Williams free throws had Philadelphia up, 77-76, with 18 seconds left, but Paul hit a twisting, fadeaway jumper near the foul line to win it.
The Sixers got 12 points from both Andre Iguodala and Elton Brand, who added 10 boards. Williams finished with 11 points.
"Usually when you play these tough teams in a stretch like we did it usually carries over for a week or two," said Iguodala, who was named an Eastern Conference All- Star reserve on Thursday. "Hopefully it will continue to carry over with the high level that we've been playing at."
Philadelphia will play seven of its next eight games on the road, where it is 5-4 on the season.
The Cavs, meanwhile, have been competitive without their young leader, topping those same Clippers on Wednesday before losing in overtime to Milwaukee, 113-112, on Friday.
Antawn Jamison had a season-high 34 points against the Bucks, but missed a pair of free throws in the final seconds of regulation which would have sent Cleveland to its second consecutive win without Irving. Ramon Sessions finished with 12 points and a season-high 16 assists.
"A very disappointing loss," Cavaliers head coach Byron Scott said. "Our guys continued to battle. They played their butts off, so it's just a disappointing loss."
Irving, who is averaging 18.0 points and 5.1 assists, continues to recover from a concussion which he suffered during the fourth quarter of Tuesday's loss to Miami.
"We're still going through the NBA protocol, but he'll be out tonight and tomorrow," Scott said earlier Friday. "We'll just go from there. He's making improvements, but we're not going to risk putting him out there until the doctors say he's fine."
After this weekend's action, the Cavs don't play again until Wednesday against Indiana.
"We all know how serious this thing can be," Scott added. "That's why we are taking such a cautious look at this. We don't want to put a young man at risk. That's the biggest thing. The NBA has done a terrific job as far as trying to diagnose and figure out what to do with concussions."
In other injury news for Cleveland center Anderson Varejao was forced to leave in the third quarter against Milwaukee with a sprained right wrist and his status is unknown for tonight.
Philly has won two straight over the Cavs.
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It has been an offensively-frustrating road trip for the Los Angeles Kings, one they will continue this afternoon against a New York Islanders club that failed to post a point for the first time in six games last time out.
<< Clippers continue road trip in Charlotte
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Clippers continue their lengthy Grammy Road
Trip by visiting the Queen City to take on the hapless Charlotte Bobcats.
Chris Paul buried a game-winning shot with 3.2 seconds remaining on Friday as
the Clippe
<< Nuggets aim to snap skid in Indy
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Denver Nuggets will try to halt a season-high five-game
losing streak when they visit the Hoosier State to take on the Indiana
Pacers.
The Nuggets have hit the skids and hit them hard, dropping four of five during
the
<< Panthers shoot for rare win in Jersey
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Florida Panthers hope to reclaim sole possession of
first place in the Southeast Division with a scarce road win against the
Devils this afternoon in New Jersey.
The Panthers have posted a 5-5-4 record over their last
<< Jets activate Stapleton off IR
Winnipeg, MB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Winnipeg Jets have activated center Tim
Stapleton off injured reserve.
Stapleton had been sidelined since January 20 with a lower body injury. He has
appeared in 37 games this season, entering Saturda
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Nashville Predators and Boston Bruins are trying not to panic during their recent skids. The two clubs look to get right this afternoon as the Predators visit the Bruins. Though Nashville is 14-4-1 over its past 19 gam
Love meets Linsanity at Target Center >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It's time for New York's Jeremy Lin to experience a little
"Love" when the Knicks visit the Timberwolves on Saturday.
"Linsanity" was in full force Friday in Madison Square Garden when Lin
continued his unlikely rise from
Spurs take Rodeo Road Trip to New Jersey >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - San Antonio will resume its annual Rodeo Road Trip on
Saturday in New Jersey by welcoming back Manu Ginobili to the lineup.
Ginobili, who has missed more than a month with a broken left hand, will
likely come off the bench
Sens try to build momentum vs. Oilers >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With a lengthy losing streak finally over, the Ottawa
Senators hope they can keep heading in the right direction when they host the
Edmonton Oilers today at Scotiabank Place.
The Senators went 0-6-1 from Jan. 21-Feb. 7, bu
Staal set to return as Pens host Jets >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The well-rested Pittsburgh Penguins hope a three-game
homestand and the return of Jordan Staal can get them back on track today, as
they'll try to avoid losing for the fourth time in five games when they host
the Winnipeg Jet
It's less than a month until the NHL hockey betting season opens at MySportsbook.com and preparations are underway for another battle in the race to hoist Lord Stanley's mug in 2007.
As cup crazy fans prepare to place their bets, one online sportsbook ,MySportsbook.com, is offering hockey betting lines on the 2007/2007 Stanley Cup , who will bring it home this upcoming season.
Despite a poor showing in last season's playoffs and the loss of Steve Yzerman to retirement, the Detroit Red Wings are early favourites at this online sportsbook with wagering odds of 6-1. The Wings will look to offensive powerhouse Pavel Datsyuk and newly appointed captain Nicklas Lidstrom to lead one of the league's most prominent franchises.
Always a threat are the Ottawa Senators, with newly acquired goaltender Martin Gerber from the Stanley Cup champion ,Carolina Hurricanes. The Sens are second best in the rankings at a 7-1 bet, and odds makers at this sportsbook are optimistic that the Ottawa squad will fare better than last season's Eastern Conference semi-final upset to the Buffalo Sabres.
Also worth noting are the defending Stanley Cup champs Carolina Hurricanes, a 10-1 bet to repeat. Behind the Canes are the New Jersey Devils, Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers, and Anaheim Mighty Ducks all sit at 12-1. In the basement are the Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, and St. Louis Blues who all have 100-1 odds to win.
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