Celtics rally to take down Magic
Basketball Betting Lines
01/26/2012 - Orlando, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Paul Pierce led five players in double-figures, as the Celtics erased a 21-point halftime deficit to down the Magic, 91-83, on Thursday.
Pierce had 24 and Kevin Garnett added 12 points and 10 rebounds. The Celtics, who held the Magic to a franchise-low 56 points in a win on Monday, trailed by as many as 27 in the first half but made the comeback despite playing without starters Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen. They have won three straight and four of five.
Dwight Howard had 16 points and 16 rebounds to pace the Magic, losers of three of their last five. Jason Richardson added 13 points and Ryan Anderson finished with 12, but was held scoreless in a second half which saw Orlando shoot 22.9 percent from the floor.
The Magic bounced back from Monday's loss to Boston, which saw them register franchise lows in field goals (16) and field goal percentage (24.6), with a 102-83 win over Indiana on Tuesday.
They carried that momentum into Thursday, shooting 50 percent in the opening half en route to a 58-37 lead at the break.
The advantage was still 21 with five minutes left in the third when the Celtics began their methodical comeback. A quick 5-0 burst, sparked by three points from former Magic swingman Mickael Pietrus, made it 68-52.
Orlando pushed the lead back to 18 with two minutes left in the quarter, but Boston unfurled a 10-1 run, capped by Pierce's trey, to make it 73-64. Howard answered with a put-back slam before the buzzer, placing Orlando's tenuous lead at 11.
E'Twaun Moore, who had 16 points off the Celtics' bench, opened the fourth with a three before Howard hit 1-of-2 free throws to make it 76-67. Boston then reeled off a 12-0 run to grab its first lead since early in the first quarter.
Pierce scored seven straight, on a trey, a pull-up mid-range jumper and a goaltend on Howard, to pull Boston within two. A Garnett 20-footer tied it and Moore hit a trey after former Celtic Glen Davis missed a pair of free throws for a 79-76 lead with 7 1/2 minutes left.
Howard stopped the run with a layup, but Boston kept coming, as Moore drove for a bucket and former Magic big man Brandon Bass hit a shot off a pick and roll, as Orlando began to unravel.
Anderson, who was held scoreless on Monday, was hit with a technical for complaining a "no call" to an official and Pierce made it 84-78 with the ensuing free throw. Then Howard received a technical for a similar violation. Though Pierce missed that free throw, Orlando's fate was virtually sealed.
Hedo Turkoglu made it 87-83 with a trey in the closing seconds, but Pierce and Bass both hit a foul shot and Moore made a pair from the stripe close the game.
Game Notes
The Celtics' 21-point halftime comeback was their largest since they came back from a 23-point halftime deficit against Indiana in 1996...The Celtics have won three straight for just the second time this season...Rondo was out with a sprained wrist, while Allen has a sprained ankle. Both players also missed Monday's blowout win...Howard notched his 14th double-double of the season.
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Madison, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Wisconsin still has Indiana's number.
The 25th-ranked Badgers showed why they're considered the nation's best
defense by shutting down the No. 16 Hoosiers en route to a 57-50 victory,
their ninth st
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Tony Bennett completely transformed the culture and expectations of the
Washington State basketball program. He's now doing the same in his third
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<< Baylor stays perfect in rout of Oklahoma
Norman, OK (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brittney Griner scored 18 points, had seven
blocks and pulled down six rebounds as the top-ranked Baylor Bears remained
perfect with an 89-58 win over Oklahoma.
Odyssey Smith had 14 points, five rebou
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Vancouver, BC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The BC Lions have signed veteran wide
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Last August, the Lions acquired Bruce from Hamilton in exchange for a third-
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Tuscaloosa, AL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Shekinna Stricklen led a balanced attack with 14 points, as No. 7 Tennessee cruised to an 86-56 win over Alabama on Thursday. Glory Johnson added 13 points and eight rebounds for the Lady Vols (15-5, 6-
Holt leads No. 21 Saint Mary's past Loyola Marymount >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Stephen Holt had 19 points and six rebounds
to lift No. 21 Saint Mary's to a 71-64 win over Loyola Marymount.
Matthew Dellavedova totaled 13 points and seven assists while Rob Jones added
11 points and 1
Clippers slip past Grizzlies >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Blake Griffin finished with 20 points, nine
rebounds and eight assists, leading the Clippers to a 98-91 victory over the
Grizzlies at Staples Center.
Chris Paul and Mo Williams each scored 18 points, whil
Kuznetsova-Zvonareva win Aussie doubles title >>
Melbourne, Australia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Svetlana Kuznetsova and Vera Zvonareva
bested Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci to win the Australian Open women's
doubles title on Friday.
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Despite defections, plenty of talent still on hand for Pro Bowl >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A select number of the NFL's best players will be making a
trip to Hawaii to participate in this Sunday's AFC-NFC Pro Bowl, though the
league's annual all-star game will be lacking some of its star power once again
due to a v
Kurt Warner to start, Matt Leinart to watch
Despite the debate that's swirling , Kurt Warner will remain the starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals, coach Dennis Green said today. The Arizona Cardinals are the +7 point underdog at online sportsbook MySportsbook.com for this Sunday's game.
Green's comment came in a statement released by the team following an ESPN report that Green decided that rookie Matt Leinart would replace Warner as starter for Sunday's game at Atlanta.
"Generally talking about the starting lineup is not something we do," Green told the AP. "However, given the speculation that was out there we want to make it clear. We're disappointed after last week, but we still expect to be a playoff football team and we fully expect Kurt Warner to be the quarterback that leads us. That has not changed."
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Academy Award Betting Odds for Best Picture Offer Great Value
If there is any category that is not an obvious win for any one nominee in this year's Academy Awards, it would be for Best Picture. Sure the Departed is a 5/7 favorite, but that's hardly anything when we look at Helen Mirren and her "out-of-reach" 1 to 40 odds (which means you would win a whopping $1 for every $40 bet).
For value, take a look at MySportsbook.com Oscars betting odds on my personal favorite, The Queen - a remarkable 12 to 1 long shot. The film hasn't won any pre-awards for Best Picture (compared to The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine), but there is a tremendous following and it is a strong enough film to warrant a surprise win.
TV Guide advises Oscar watchers should be cautioned not to discount the drama "Babel" with its strong social themes about overcoming communication gaps among people of different cultures.
"While 'Babel' lost several guild awards to 'Sunshine' and 'Departed,' it still enjoys loyal support, and historically Oscar voters favor dramas with social messages over comedies like 'Sunshine' and violent crime movies like 'Departed'."
"It hasn't done well in the guilds, which means there isn't much industry support," said Tom O'Neil of awards site TheEnvelope.com, "But several critics are expecting it to win, and that gets my attention." Babel had 7 to 2 odds at press time.
Who is to say independently produced Little Miss Sunshine won't be this year's Crash. Last year, Crash won for Best Motion Picture, shocking those who bet on gay cowboy flick, Brokeback Mountain, as the favorite to win.
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