05/10/2008 - Dallas, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rick Carlisle has come to terms on a four-year contract to become head coach of the Dallas Mavericks.
The Mavericks website posted a story late Friday night that confirmed the signing, which is expected to take place Saturday. The story said that Carlisle will be introduced as the ninth head coach in franchise history on Wednesday.
Carlisle takes over for the recently fired Avery Johnson.
"Incredibly excited that Rick has come on board," said Mavericks owner Mark Cuban in the story on his team's website. "His coaching record speaks for itself. He has a unique ability to coach multiple styles of play, which we think makes him a great fit for the Mavs."
In six seasons as a coach, two with Detroit and four with Indiana, Carlisle has compiled a 281-211 record. He was the league's Coach of the Year in 2002 when he guided the Pistons to a 50-win season.
Carlisle's career playoff record stands at 30-32. Indiana finished just 35-47 in 2006-07, and Carlisle didn't return to the team for the following season. In four seasons as the Pacers mentor, Carlisle compiled a 181-147 record and the team made the NBA playoffs in three of his four seasons at the helm.
His best season in Indianapolis was his first. In 2003-04 the Pacers posted a 61-21 record -- the best mark in franchise history -- and reached the Eastern Conference finals.
Despite having three years left on a five-year deal he signed after Dallas' run to the 2006 NBA Finals, Johnson finds himself unemployed after two straight exits in the first round of the playoffs. Johnson led the Mavs to a 194-70 record during the regular season, but his postseason mark is 23-24. The Mavericks have lost 12 of their last 15 playoff games.
Dallas lost to New Orleans in five games in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. The first-round defeat was the second straight for Dallas, which was eliminated by Golden State in the 2007 conference quarterfinals in one of the biggest upsets in NBA playoff history, becoming the first No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 8 seed in a seven-game series.
<< Red Wings aim for 2-0 lead against visiting Stars
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The top-seeded Detroit Red Wings will try to take a two
games to none lead in the Western Conference finals tonight, when they welcome
the Dallas Stars for Game 2 at Joe Louis Arena.
The Red Wings came out with a strong pe
<< Cavs, Celtics resume best-of-seven series in Cleveland
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Celtics attempt to take a commanding 3-0 lead
over the Cleveland Cavaliers in their Eastern Conference semifinal series, as
the teams meet tonight at Quicken Loans Arena.
On Thursday, Paul Pierce paced a balanc
<< Friday's NHL Playoff Sum
Philadelphia 2 0 0-2Pittsburgh 3 1 0-4First Period-1, Pittsburgh, Sykora 5 (Malone, Malkin), 6:19. 2, Philadelphia, Richards 5 (Umberger, Coburn), 8:30. 3, Philadelphia, Richards 6 (Lupul, Umberger), 12:50. 4, Pittsburgh, Crosby 3 (Hossa), 14:11
<< Friday's NHL Playoff Summary
Philadelphia 2 0 0-2Pittsburgh 3 1 0-4First Period-1, Pittsburgh, Sykora 5 (Malone, Malkin), 6:19. 2, Philadelphia, Richards 5 (Umberger, Coburn), 8:30. 3, Philadelphia, Richards 6 (Lupul, Umberger), 12:50. 4, Pittsburgh, Crosby 3 (Hossa), 14:11
Braves resume series with Bucos at PNC Park >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Atlanta lefty Chuck James looks for a third straight
victory tonight, when the Braves enter PNC Park for the second installment of
a four-game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
James opened his 2008 season wit
Magic try to even East semis with Pistons >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Orlando Magic attempt to even their Eastern Conference
semifinal series with the Detroit Pistons at two games apiece, as the teams
battle tonight at Amway Arena.
After losing Games 1 and 2 at The Palace of Auburn Hills
Dempster leads Cubs vs. D'Backs >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Right-hander Ryan Dempster will try to rebound from his
first loss of 2008 today, when the Chicago Cubs entertain the Arizona
Diamondbacks again in the middle contest of a three-game weekend series at
Wrigley
Astros continue trek at Los Angeles >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Houston Astros opened their 10-game road trip on a good
note, and will try to stay on track tonight in the second test of a three-game
series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chavez Ravine.
The Astros, who have won s
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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.
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