Carter leads Nets past Magic

Basketball Betting Lines

04/11/2009 - East Rutherford, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Vince Carter led the Nets with 27 points and nine assists, as New Jersey topped an uninspired Orlando Magic club, 103-93.

"I just kind of wanted to set the tone of how we wanted to play these last couple of games," Carter said. "We're bettering ourselves for next year, gaining confidence."

Brook Lopez added 13 points and 11 rebounds for New Jersey, which had lost eight of 10 coming in but shot a sizzling 54.3 percent from the floor. Keyon Dooling chipped in 12 points and 10 helpers for the victors.

Hedo Turkoglu led the Magic with 16 points but was helped off the court in the fourth quarter after rolling his left ankle. Mickael Pietrus and Tony Battie notched 14 points each in the setback.

Dwight Howard was held to seven points and eight rebounds in 26 minutes of action for Orlando, which dropped back-to-back games for just the third time this season. The Magic now sit 2 1/2 games back of Boston for the No. 2 seed in the East.

"I think the biggest thing is defense, we're not helping," Howard said. "We have to do something about this. We have to get it going before the playoffs start."

All Star's Devin Harris (shoulder) for New Jersey and Rashard Lewis (knee) for Orlando sat out due to their respective ailments.

The Nets jumped out to a 28-24 lead after 12 minutes of action. Midway through the second frame, consecutive three-pointers by Jarvis Hayes and Bobby Simmons sparked a 10-0 flurry for the hosts that resulted in a 47-30 advantage.

Orlando's Rafer Alston hit a jumper to beat the halftime buzzer, but the Magic were still looking at a 57-47 deficit at the break.

New Jersey continued to play frontrunner in the third, taking an 83-74 cushion into the final stanza. After Turkoglu scored six straight points for Orlando early in the fourth, Anthony Johnson made a jumper to pull the Magic within 87-82 at the eight-minute mark.

But Simmons nailed a three to spark an 8-0 stretch, during which time Turkoglu went down with an injury. Another Simmons trey a little later made it 100-86 with four minutes left and it was a double-digit game the rest of the way.

Game Notes

Orlando will next visit Milwaukee on Monday, while closing out its regular season Wednesday at home against Charlotte...New Jersey has games with Charlotte and New York to close out its schedule...The Magic won the season series, 2-1...Simmons and Josh Boone each had 11 points in the win.

Wwweltiempo Basketball Betting News


<< Bucks silence Thunder
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Richard Jefferson matched a season high with 35 points to go with nine rebounds, leading Milwaukee to a relatively easy 115-98 drubbing of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Luke Ridnour donated 18 points an

<< Hill and Suns down Timberwolves
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Grant Hill scored 19 points to lead the Phoenix Suns past the Minnesota Timberwolves, 110-97, at the Target Center. Leandro Barbosa and Jared Dudley added 16 points apiece for the Suns, who have won fou

<< Soriano's two-run homer lifts Cubs over Brewers
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Alfonso Soriano hit a two-run homer in the top of the ninth inning and the Chicago Cubs held on to edge the Milwaukee Brewers, 6-5, in the second of a three-game series at Miller Park. Soriano finishe

<< Terriers shock RedHawks to win men's national hockey title
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Colby Cohen tallied with 8:13 remaining in the first overtime as Boston University rallied from a late two-goal deficit to defeat Miami-Ohio, 4-3, in the NCAA men's hockey national championship at Verizon

<< Red Bulls, Dynamo battle to scoreless draw
Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Red Bulls and Houston Dynamo entered Week 4 of the Major League Soccer season with identical 0-2-1 records despite playing each other in the 2008 MLS Cup semifinals. After battling to a phys

Howard and Phils double up Rockies >>
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ryan Howard had a pair of hits and three runs batted in, as the Phillies used some timely hitting and strong pitching to defeat the Colorado Rockies, 8-4, at Coors Field. Seven of Philadelphia's runs ca

Hudson haunts former team as Dodgers crush D'Backs >>
Phoenix, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Orlando Hudson backed Eric Stults' spot- start with a home run and three runs batted in, as the Dodgers upended the Diamondbacks, 11-2, at Chase Field. Stults (1-0), filling in for injured Opening

Federer marries longtime girlfriend >>
Basel, Switzerland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Swiss tennis great Roger Federer announced Saturday that he married his longtime girlfriend, Mirka Vavrinec. "Earlier today, in my hometown of Basel, surrounded by a small group of close friends

Watson posts career-high, leads Warriors past Jazz >>
Salt Lake City, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - C.J. Watson poured in a career-high 38 points, doled out nine assists and hauled in seven rebounds to help the Golden State Warriors upend the Utah Jazz, 118-108, at EnergySolutions Arena. Robert Kurz

Gordon helps Bulls move up in East standings >>
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ben Gordon scored 39 points, making 7-of-12 three-point attempts, as the Chicago Bulls improved their playoff position with a 113-106 win over the Charlotte Bobcats. With the win, the Bulls' fourth

MySportsbook.com : Fortune Favors Favorites in March Madness betting?

Just like Day 1 of the “Sweet 16”, Friday’s games are chock full of some of the nation’s elite.  Unlike Thursday’s games, there is a little bit more of a “Cinderella” feel as #7 seed UNLV and #6 seed Vanderbilt will attempt to move on to the Elite Eight.  With powerhouses Florida, UNC and Georgetown looking to continue their momentum against lesser known teams, it isn’t surprising that once again the “betting public” is backing most of the favorites.  As the early coin rolls in, 56% of Sportsbook.com bettors prefer Georgetown (-7.5) as they take on Vanderbilt; 84% of the early money is backing Oregon (-3) as they square off against UNLV; and a slight majority (52%) of the early cash is on Florida (-10.5) against Butler as the Gators continue their quest for another National Title. The only favorite the public don’t seem confident in is UNC, as 59% of the cash is backing the underdog Trojans (+8).

Midwest

#1 Florida vs. #5 Butler

The defending National Champs have been on a mission since last April.  Joakim Noah and Al Horford turned down millions of dollars for one reason, to REPEAT.  After a late season hiccup which saw them lose three out of four, the Gators have won six straight by an average of 20.3 points. More importantly, they covered in five of those six games.  Behind their stymie defense that yields only 56.9 PPG, Butler has been a very pleasant surprise this season.  As their 20-11 ATS record will indicate, “surprise teams” like Butler are often good bets for gamblers.  Playing in an average conference, Butler wasn’t and underdog too often but when they were, they covered (6-0 ATS).  Butler’s defense will have its hands full against a Gators offense which averages 80.1 PPG on an amazing 52.9% shooting from the field.  With Florida’s tournament experience over the last few years, it isn’t surprising that they are 5-1 ATS this season, 20-4 ATS over the last three seasons and 38-20 since 1997 in tournament action.

#3 Oregon vs. #7 UNLV

As a #7 seed, UNLV is the closest thing to a “Cinderella” we have this year.  If you bet on UNLV this season with any regularity, you most likely cashed in. Behind their guard oriented attack, the Rebels are an impressive 20-11 ATS this season.  As an underdog they covered in 8 out of their ten games which isn’t surprising since they are 52-30 ATS as a ‘dog since 1997. The Rebels have been a consistent cover during the month of March as well.  This March they are 6-0 ATS, 11-3 ATS over the last three seasons and 24-11 since 1997. Their impressive ATS trends don’t end there; versus teams with a winning record they are 15-6 ATS this season and 41-21 over the last three seasons.  Although Oregon hasn’t been as generous to gamblers as UNLV this season, they have been covering consistently as of late.  There is no question that they are playing their best ball of the season having won their last 8 straight up (SU) by an average of 14.5 points. Not surprising they covered in 7 of those games.  It is interesting to note how similar these teams are in regards to scoring and scoring defense. UNLV averages 75 PPG while giving up 66.5 PPG and Oregon scores 75.8 PPG while yielding 65.5 PPG.

East

#6 Vanderbilt vs. #2 Georgetown

“Hoya Paranoia” is officially back! After a decent start, Georgetown has rolled through the second half of the season.  Over their last 18 games, they are 17-1 SU.  They have definitely improved ATS as the season has progressed as well. After opening the season 1-4-1 ATS, the Hoyas have covered 78.3% of their games.  With their great interior play of Jeff Green and Roy Hibbert, the Hoyas as a team shoot 50.5% from the field.  Like the Georgetown teams from years ago, they also excel on defense.  Hoya opponents averaged only 56.8 PPG on 38.2% shooting from the field and an extremely low 30.4% from beyond the arc.  The last stat could be of some concern to Vanderbilt considering they shoot 37.7% from long-range.  Ranking second to last in the SEC in rebounding margin, Vanderbilt will have its work cut out for them against the Hoya trees. As far as covering is concerned, Vanderbilt has been almost a “sure thing” (7-1 ATS) versus good defensive teams that allow less than 64 PPG.

#1 UNC vs. # 5 USC

The Tar Heels are as talented and as deep as any team in the country.  Going ten deep and chock full of HS All-Americans, UNC averages 86.1 PPG and scored 100+ seven times.  Led by All-American forward, Tyler Hansbrough (18.6 PPG 7.9 RPG) UNC has a very balanced attack which can kill you on the inside as well as on the perimeter.  UNC only real concern is their youth as eight of their rotation players are either sophomores or freshmen.  UNC was a reliable cover this season going 20-13 ATS.  An intriguing covering trend for the Tar Heels in recent years has been how they fared after non-conference games.  This season they are 11-3 ATS after non-conference games and over the last three seasons they are 31-13 ATS.  USC is also a pretty deep team which is loaded with swingman types.  An match-up to keep an eye on will be freshman forward Taj Gibson (12.1 PPG, 8.6 RPG) as he squares off against the AA Hansbrough.  USC has been a covering machine this season achieving a 21-10 record ATS.  They have thrived in the underdog role, having covered 10 out of 12.  When playing a team with a winning record, the Trojans are an incredible 20-6 ATS. Keep in mind, USC dedicated their season to former star to Ryan Francis who passed away before the season so as they get closer to the ultimate goal, emotion could definitely be on their side.

With Friday -105 juice on Basketball betting, MySportsbook.com is the place to bet on all of the “March Madness” action.  Don’t forget to monitor who the public is backing at this sportsbook “Betting Trends”.  By doing so, you have the best chance of predicting a possible line change, thus getting the best value for your wager.

To bet on March Madness games this online sportsbook accepts credit cards

About MySportsbook.com MySportsbook.com  is the largest sportsbook and casino on the planet, where millions of adult Americans bet on sports, play poker and enjoy blackjack and other casino games online in a regulated and licensed jurisdiction. Named the "Best US Sports Book" by the industry's top magazine, eGaming Review, MySportsbook.com has been leading the online gaming industry since 1996. Dwarfing its nearest competitors in the US, MySportsbook.com has been the first to achieve every significant industry milestone, from record turnover to active users to number of bets--achieving a peak of fifteen bets per second. As the US online gaming leader, the firm and it's products have been featured on CBS 60 Minutes, CNN, ESPN, Wall Street Journal, Barrons, Financial Times, USA Today and in every major newspaper in the US.


FOOTBALL BETTING : Crabtree's base deal: six years, $32 million

Football Betting

In the wake of the news that the 49ers have signed receiver Michael Crabtree after an extended holdout, there has been not a hint of the dollars to be paid to Crabtree.

And since this means that his agent hasn't leaked the numbers, it means that his agent feels no specific motivation to do so.

Possibly because his agent isn't all that thrilled to have his name on the deal.

So the numbers will come from sources other than Crabtree's agent. And we've gotten our mitts into them.

Per a league source, Crabtree has signed a six-year, $32 million contract. (The total includes guaranteed money, base salaries, and the one-time incentive based on achieving minimum playing time.)

The deal also includes $17 million in guaranteed money.

As reported elsewhere, the deal can void to five years based on performance triggers, wiping out a final year base salary of $4 million. But they won't be easily reached.

The source tells us that, in his first four seasons (including 2009), Crabtree must either qualify for two Pro Bowls, or he must qualify for one Pro Bowl in one year and he must participate in 80 percent of the offensive snaps in a separate year in which the team makes the playoffs.

In other words, if in 2010 he qualifies for the Pro Bowl and the team makes the playoffs and he participates in 80 percent of the snaps, he'll still need to make it to the Pro Bowl or achieve the 80-percent/playoffs in another season.

Since the chances of Crabtree making the Pro Bowl or participating in 80 percent of the offensive snaps this year is roughly zero percent, he'll have three years to get it done.

And it won't be easy. Frankly, he'll be hard pressed to make it to one Pro Bowl in three years with the likes of Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson, Anquan Boldin, Steve Smith, the other Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks, DeSean Jackson, Johnny Knox, Percy Harvin, Greg Jennings, Roddy White, T.J. Houshmandzadeh in the same conference for sportsbook betting.

So, by all appearances, it's a six-year deal. And at $17 million in guaranteed money, the per-year guarantee is a tepid $2.83 million per year.

There's another problem with the deal -- it has no mid-tier incentive package. Instead, the additional $8 million that Crabtree can earn (pushing the max value to six years, $40 million) requires the kind of unrealistic, mega-star performances that no rookie is likely to ever achieve.

So while the contract paid to Packers defensive tackle B.J. Raji covers five years and pays $22.5 million, he has the ability (if he's a solid player) to make up the difference between his base deal and Crabtree's five-year, $28 million haul via the mid-tier incentive package in Raji's deal.

And unless Crabtree meets the performance thresholds necessary to void the sixth year, he'll be stuck under contract for another year at a base salary of only $4 million.

There's one other area of concern with the deal. Crabtree, per the source, received no option bonus. Instead, he has significant money tied to a fairly new device known as a "discretionary salary advance," which unlike an opition bonus is subject to forfeiture if Crabtree decides in a year or two that he wants to hold out for a better deal. (We're also told that the 49ers have included language that would make certain escalators subject to forfeiture, too.)

Meanwhile, the deal falls well short of the mark for which Crabtree and agent Eugene Parker were aiming -- the five-year, $38.25 million contract paid by the Raiders to receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, the seventh overall pick in the draft.

Even if Crabtree successfully voids the final year, he'll make more than $2 million per year less on average than Heyward-Bey.

Thus, as we explained earlier in the day, this is a deal that Crabtree could have done in July, which would have given him a much better chance of making a contribution to the 49ers during his rookie year.

So while the final outcome can be described as win-win, the broader view suggests that it's really a lose-lose situation.

NFL Betting Lines

To visit this sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your college football betting needs.