05/11/2008 -
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -Andrei Kirilenko blocked Kobe Bryant twice in overtime and converted a three-point play with 35 seconds remaining as the Utah Jazz beat the Los Angeles Lakers 123-115 on Sunday, tying the Western Conference semifinals at 2-2.
The Jazz went 9-for-9 from the foul line in overtime and outscored the Lakers 15-7 in the extra 5 minutes.
Deron Williams had 29 points and 14 assists, while Carlos Boozer scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half and grabbed 12 rebounds. Mehmet Okur added 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Kirilenko finished with 15 points and five blocks - stuffing Bryant twice as the Lakers tried to rally in overtime.
Bryant finished with 33 points and 10 assists. Lamar Odom had 26 points and 13 rebounds, and Pau Gasol scored 23 and pulled down 10 boards.
Game 5 is Wednesday in Los Angeles.Spurs 100, Hornets 80
SAN ANTONIO (AP) - Tim Duncan had 22 points and 15 rebounds, and San Antonio beat New Orleans to even the Western Conference semifinals at 2-2.
Tony Parker added 21 points for the Spurs, who led nearly the entire game and are assured of a Game 6 back in San Antonio. Chris Paul scored 23 for the Hornets, who trailed by as many as 27.
Game 5 is Tuesday in New Orleans.
The Hornets' David West had three blocks but was held to 10 points on 4-of-15 shooting and was visibly frustrated. Reserve Jannero Pargo scored 11 for the Hornets.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
<< Duncan shines as Spurs crush Hornets to even series
San Antonio, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tim Duncan had a dominating performance
with 22 points, 15 rebounds and four blocked shots, as the Spurs throttled the
New Orleans Hornets, 100-80, evening their Western Conference semifinal series
after f
<< Phantom goal helps Finland edge USA at Worlds
Halifax, Nova Scotia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Finland scored three times in the
third period, including what turned out to be a phantom goal, to upend the
United States with a contentious 3-2 victory at the 2008 World Hockey
Champio
<< A's activate Harden from DL, starts against Texas
Arlington, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Oakland Athletics activated oft-injured
pitcher Rich Harden from the 15-day disabled list Sunday, in time to start the
team's series finale with the Texas Rangers.
Harden was roughed up by Texas lasting
<< Garcia pars in playoff to win Players
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sergio Garcia parred the first
playoff hole, the famous island green at 17, to defeat Paul Goydos Sunday and
win The Players Championship.
The win was Garcia's seventh on the PGA Tour, but
Twins hold on to beat Red Sox in homer-filled game >>
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Craig Monroe clubbed a pair of homers and
drove in four runs, and Minnesota held on for a 9-8 victory over the Boston
Red Sox, in the third installment of a four-game series.
Justin Morneau had three
Red Sox activate Cora >>
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Red Sox activated infielder Alex Cora
off the 15-day disabled list prior to Sunday's 9-8 loss to the Twins.
Cora, who had been out since April 9 with a sore right elbow, had three hits
and started
Uggla leads Marlins to sweep of Nationals >>
Dan Uggla and the Florida Marlins will sure be sorry to have to leave Washington. Who can blame them? They've been there twice this season and haven't lost yet.Uggla hit two homers Sunday to help the Marlins complete another three-game sweep of the
Red Wings' Franzen out for Game 3 >>
Dallas, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Detroit Red Wings forward Johan Franzen is still
experiencing concussion-like symptoms and will not be available to play in
Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Stars on Monday.
Franzen
“You play to win the game!”
Those are the words of notoriously intense head coach Herman Edwards. Unfortunately, from a bettors’ perspective, most coaches don’t feel that way about the NFL preseason. August is a time to evaluate young players, finalize the depth chart and pray your star players stay healthy.
The trick to making money during the exhibition schedule is identifying coaches – like Edwards – who can’t stand losing even when there's nothing on the line.
The New York Jets betting won 15 of 21 preseason games and went 14-7 against the spread (ATS) during Edwards’s five-year tenure with the club. In his first season as the Kansas City Chiefs field boss, the team improved from 0-4 to 2-2.
Identifying win-a-holics like Edwards is a good start if you plan betting the preseason – even though most say you shouldn’t ... but what the hell do they know anyway?
Here’s a brief rundown of two teams that have a habit of winning during the second-stringers’ season, and another club that has a good chance of exceeding this year.
Playing in the media hub of North America can be stressful but the press can’t write anything negative about the way Tom Coughlin’s boys play in the preseason. The Giants won and covered all four games last summer, improving their record to 7-1 both straight up (SU) and against the spread over the last two years.
Coughlin has shown he’s not afraid to give his starters more time in the second preseason game than most of his colleagues, no doubt one of the reasons his team has been so dominant.
Bettors can count on America’s team early on. The Cowboys are 14-6 both SU and ATS since 2002 in warm-up contests. Former coach Bill Parcells, the coach of the team the last four years, has an intimidating, in-your-face presence – surely a reason Dallas has had so much early success.
The Big Tuna won’t be strolling the sidelines with looks of disgust, but new coach Wade Phillips will be anxious to make a good first impression for owner Jerry Jones.
Dallas plays the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos before things get serious. They then face the Houston Texans in their third contest (the game starters see most game time) and finish off with the Minnesota Vikings.
Expect a Dallas team able to walk away with another 3-1 preseason record.
This team scored a league-worst 12 offensive touchdowns last season, so the rookies and veterans each have something to prove. There’s a bounty of first-unit jobs up for grabs and plenty of bodies competing for those slots.
First-time head coach Lane Kiffin will be eager to impress an owner who employs the philosophy, “Just win, baby!”
The 32-year-old Kiffin has to command respect from a locker room full of players older than him. All of these factors should lead to purpose in preseason.
Don’t forget: before playing like a team that belonged in NFL Europe, Oakland went 4-1 (both SU and ATS) in exhibition games.
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