Wclevelandcavaliers Basketball Betting News

<< Ilyasova's big game carries Bucks past Nets
Newark, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ersan Ilyasova had career-highs of 29 points and 25 rebounds, leading Milwaukee to a 92-85 win over New Jersey at Prudential Center on Sunday. Brandon Jennings chipped in 17 points and Carlos D

<< Rockets down Jazz behind Lowry's seven 3s
Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kyle Lowry went 7-for-8 from three-point range and dropped in 32 points as the Houston Rockets pulled away in the second half to down the Utah Jazz, 101-85, at Toyota Center. Lowry also dished out nine assist

<< Hawks extend Dampier another 10 days
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Atlanta Hawks signed center Erick Dampier to a second 10-day contract on Sunday. With centers Al Horford and Jason Collins both sidelined with injuries, the Hawks brought in Dampier earlier this month.

<< Love lifts Minnesota over Philadelphia
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kevin Love made two free throws with one- tenth of a second remaining in regulation, giving the Minnesota Timberwolves a 92-91 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Thaddeus Young put the Sixers on top,

Little, Pavelec lead Jets over Avs >>
Winnipeg, MB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Bryan Little scored twice and Ondrej Pavelec made 31 saves as the Winnipeg Jets rolled over the Colorado Avalanche, 5-1, at MTS Centre. Evander Kane, Kyle Wellwood and Andrew Ladd also scored for Winnipeg

Durant's 51, Wesbtrook's 40 carry Thunder in OT >>
Oklahoma City, OK (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook showed why they're considered one of the league's best 1-2 punches Sunday, combining for a staggering 91 points in Oklahoma City's 124-118 overtime victory over the Den

Canucks handle Oilers >>
Edmonton, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Henrik and Daniel Sedin had a goal and an assist each as the Vancouver Canucks took care of the Edmonton Oilers, 5-2, at Rexall Place. Sami Salo, Kevin Bieksa and Chris Higgins also scored, and Alexandr

Howard to kick off 2012 in Nation's Football Classic >>
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Howard football will kick off the 2012 season against Morehouse College in the Second Annual Nation's Football Classic Sept. 1 at RFK Stadium. Last year, Howard's FCS program beat Division II Morehouse, 30-2

Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.

Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.

MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .

''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''

Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.

He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.

''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''

Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.

Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.

With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.

Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.

Betting Football

Is there such a thing as a trap game in the NFL?

I once asked that question to Pete Korner, who at the time was office manager and a senior linesmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants.

Korner almost ripped my head off. There is no such thing as a trap game, he loudly berated me. It’s a myth. The numbers are made using power ratings, he said.

There are trap games, though. They just might not be what you think. The perception is of a good team, say Philadelphia, laying a small number against New Orleans.

Using the highly-respected power ranking from The Gold Sheet, you’d find the Eagles with a power rating of 4 and the Saints at 8. When you factor the game being played in New Orleans, you could see why the line opened so short at less than a field goal.

For some, this makes it enticing to take the Eagles. That’s not a real trap game, though.

A real trap game, says professional gambler Dave Malinsky, is thinking you’re getting value betting a bad team, which brings us to the Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos matchup.

The Raiders are +15 in this long-standing division rivalry. Denver is on a short week having dispatched Baltimore Monday. However, the Raiders haven’t covered the spread their last 10 games.

Many bettors don’t trust the Raiders to give a full effort. Few think much of Art Shell and his Oakland’s coaching staff.

So oddsmakers have to do something to make Oakland attractive if they hope to get equal action.

Now Malinsky is a value shopper. But he won’t touch the Raiders even getting more than two touchdowns.

“I try to eliminate the undisciplined, unfocused teams because they’re the ones most likely to suffer the bad beats,” he said.

Near the top of Malinsky’s list of stay-away teams is the Miami Dolphins, who have yet to cover a spread this season.

“Whatever you think of Nick Saban, you have to look at the penalties and turnovers,” Malinsky said.

It’s easy to point out the Dolphins failed to get the money this past week against New England because Olindo Mare missed a field goal and had another field goal blocked. But even though the Dolphins outgained the Patriots, 283-213, they committed eight penalties.

Bad teams not only cost themselves victories, but pointspread covers as well. The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers are two more examples.

The Cardinals couldn’t have been in a better position this past Sunday, up 14-0 at home against a mediocre Kansas City Chiefs squad. But they couldn’t hold it. The Packers got a push against St. Louis, but also could have won losing by three when Brett Favre fumbled at the St. Louis 11-yard line with 44 seconds left.

“The Packers were in a position to beat Philadelphia, too,” Malinsky said. “But they couldn’t even cover double digits.

“These teams just make mistakes and it costs you … they always will look good from a value standpoint. They really will. But that’s the trap.”

Houston and Tennessee rank among the six-worst teams. Malinsky wouldn’t be afraid to take either of these teams, however, if the price were high enough.

The Texans are bad, Malinsky said, but they have some discipline. The Titans showed they could not only come up with an outstanding game plan, but execute it as well, losing by one to the Colts on the road as an 18 ?-point underdog this past Sunday.

“Jeff Fisher is a worker,” Malinsky said of the Titans coach. “I’m not sure how hard Art Shell wants to work when he gets out of bed.”

Fisher, though, could be out as Tennessee coach after this season. Is he still worth backing in the right spot, with the right price, as a lame duck coach?

“It’s in his nature to keep working hard and not worry about any possible lame duck status,” Malinsky said. “He’s coaching for his resume.”

Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines.