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Lakers host Blazers in possible playoff previewBasketball Betting Lines04/11/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A possible Western Conference quarterfinals preview is in the offing this afternoon as the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers welcome the Portland Trail Blazers to Staples Center. The Lakers have wrapped up the West's top seed along with the Pacific Division crown, while Portland is among three teams jockeying for seeds six through eight. The Blazers are currently No. 8, one-half game behind San Antonio and a game back of Oklahoma City with just three games to play in the regular season. Portland also holds the tiebreaker over the Spurs by virtue of sweeping the season series. The Blazers surely want to avoid playing LA in the first round since the club has lost in 14 of its past 16 visits to Staples Center against the Lakers. The Blazers fell in their most recent outing on Friday when Dirk Nowitzki scored 23 of his 40 points in the second half, powering Dallas to an 83-77 win over Portland and securing the Mavericks the Southwest Division title. LaMarcus Aldridge had 27 points and Marcus Camby totaled 18 rebounds for the Trail Blazers, who lost for just the second time in eight contests. Brandon Roy struggled for the Blazers by going 4-of-14 from the field as Portland failed to finish off a four-game season sweep of the Mavs. Rudy Fernandez scored 11 for the Blazers, who were whistled for four technical fouls, including ones from Andre Miller and head coach Nate McMillan in the fourth quarter.. "We didn't make shots," Roy said. "I don't think the technicals were the reason we lost this game. We have to do a much better job if we have to face them again." LA, meanwhile, clinched the No. 1 seed out West with a 97-88 win over lowly Minnesota on Friday. Pau Gasol was the offensive catalyst for the Kobe Bryant- less Lakers in that one, tallying 29 points and 15 rebounds. Lamar Odom and Jordan Farmar each scored 13 points with Odom also pulling down 12 rebounds for LA, which despite losing four of five coming in felt comfortable sitting Bryant (knee, finger) for the second straight game. "We didn't want them to make that run, obviously. They just made plays and executed," Gasol said of Minnesota's fourth quarter. "We clamped down defensively and got some stops and that's how you win ball games down the stretch." Bryant is listed as probable for this afternoon's contest but center Andrew Bynum will sit out his 11th straight game with a strained left Achilles' tendon and will not return until the playoffs. While LA has locked up things in the West, the club is competing with Orlando for the second best overall record going into the playoffs. The Lakers, who came into the game tied with the Magic, hold the tiebreaker due to opposing conference record.
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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. |
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