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.
Bloomington, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tayler Hill scored all 18 of her points in the second half as No. 9 Ohio State downed Indiana, 73-55. Samantha Prahalis also had 18 points for Ohio State (20-1, 7-1 Big Ten), which has won five straight ga
<< Badgers down struggling Hoosiers
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
<< Scott helps Virginia take down Boston College
Charlottesville, VA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Before arriving in Charlottesville,
Tony Bennett completely transformed the culture and expectations of the
Washington State basketball program. He's now doing the same in his third
season
<< 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
<< BC Lions sign WR Bruce to extension
Vancouver, BC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The BC Lions have signed veteran wide
receiver Arland Bruce to a contract extension.
Last August, the Lions acquired Bruce from Hamilton in exchange for a third-
round selection in the 2012 CFL
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.
The unseeded Russian duo of Kuznetsova and Zvonareva ea
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
Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl Odds
Will he or won't he? Now that the Dallas Cowboys have a new head coach in Wade Phillips, the big question will be: Does Terrell Owens stay with the team.
Jerry Jones continues to suggest that Terrell Owens will remain with the team.
"I've said that he's back, he's here, he's under contract," Jones said. "In the interviews I've just been through (to hire a new coach), it was very clear to me how highly he's thought of and how much of an impact he had on our offensive success."
Just to be sure though, Terrell Owens cleared out his locker and removed his name plate.
Terrell Owens was among the Cowboys most productive players this past season, catching 85 passes for 1,180 yards and a league-best 13 touchdowns.
But T.O. is due a $3 million roster bonus in June, then a $5 million salary this season. Cutting him before then would save a lot of money and headaches.
Aside from the questions surrounding Terrell Owens, the oddsmakers at MySportsbook.com have concerns over starting quarterback Tony Romo's state of mind and whether he will remain a starting quarterback. It is also not known how players will adjust to new head coach, Wade Phillips.
Here are the football odds as seen at MySportsbook.com and subject to change after February 10, 2007 if not locked in prior to that date.
Arizona Cardinals 60-1
Atlanta Falcons 50-1
Baltimore Ravens 15-1
Buffalo Bills 50-1
Carolina Panthers 18-1
Chicago Bears 10-1
Cincinnati Bengals 15-1
Cleveland Browns 100-1
Dallas Cowboys 15-1
Denver Broncos 15-1
Detroit Lions 100-1
Green Bay Packers 50-1
Houston Texans 100-1
Indianapolis Colts 6-1
Jacksonville Jaguars 30-1
Kansas City Chiefs 30-1
Miami Dolphins 40-1
Minnesota Vikings 75-1
New England Patriots 10-1
New Orleans Saints 18-1
New York Giants 20-1
New York Jets 30-1
Oakland Raiders 100-1
Philadelphia Eagles 18-1
Pittsburgh Steelers 10-1
Saint Louis Rams 60-1
San Diego Chargers 6-1
San Francisco 49ers 75-1
Seattle Seahawks 20-1
Tampa Bay Buccanneers 75-1
Tennessee Titans 40-1
Washington Redskins 50-1
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook credit cards needs.
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.