Super Bowl XLIII: Steelers offense vs. Cardinals defense

Let’s get the injury nonsense out of the way first regarding the Pittsburgh offense for Super Bowl XLIII: Ben Roethlisberger and Hines Ward will play. Yes, Big Ben had some X-rays on his ribs this week, and, yes, Ward probably won’t be 100 percent with his knee injury. But they will both be in there – Ward was upgraded to probable on Friday and Big Ben isn’t on the injury report.

So how will that offense fare against a Cardinals defense that fairly dominated the Steelers in a 21-14 September 2007 victory?

Well, let’s assume that Roethlisberger doesn’t perform like he did in Super Bowl XL. He was just 9-of-21 for 123 yards and zero touchdowns in that win over the Seahawks. His 22.6 passer rating in that game - against a team that was 25th in the NFL against the pass - was an all-time low for a championship winner. But it might be concerning that he has thrown multiple interceptions in four of his nine postseason games.

“I expect it to be different this time,” Roethlisberger said. “I’m going to treat it like it might be my last [Super Bowl trip]. I’ve been here before and I kind of understand what went right and what went wrong last time.”

Pittsburgh is a 6.5-point favorite on WagerWeb.com.

The Cards’ defense definitely has improved in these playoffs. In fact, since being slaughtered by the Patriots in Week 16, Arizona’s defense hasn’t allowed a team more than 25 points. After finishing 28th in the NFL in points allowed during the regular season at 26.6, Arizona has cut that number to 20.7 in the playoffs. The Cards also have eight picks in the playoffs and have sacked opposing quarterbacks seven times and held Matt Ryan, Jake Delhomme and Donovan McNabb to a combined passer rating of 69.7.

Arizona has forced 12 turnovers in all in the playoffs, leading to 37 Cardinals points, and that doesn’t include the safety defensive end Antonio Smith had against the Falcons in the first round.

But in Pittsburgh’s favor is that Willie Parker has run for 100 yards in two of the past three games. The Steelers had the NFL’s 23rd-ranked running game in the regular season. They closed the season by rushing for 176 yards against Cleveland, 116 by Parker. They opened the playoffs by running for 165 yards against San Diego, 146 by Parker. Yes he was held in check by the Ravens, but they were putting eight and nine guys in the box.

Plus Roethlisberger has been pretty well-protected by his line and didn’t throw an interception in the two playoff games and had a 90.8 passer rating. Santonio Holmes has had a big-play touchdown in both games.

“All of a sudden, we said we’ve got a healthy, fresh, running back, and everybody else is pretty healthy on the offensive line and we’ve expanded our package,” offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said.

The Steelers’ over/under on WagerWeb.com is 27.

Arizona had the NFL’s 16th-ranked run defense in the regular season but has done well stopping the run during the playoffs. But the Cards won’t over-commit to stopping the run the way the Ravens did. The Cards also don’t have big, powerful defenders up front.

After running the ball just over 28 times per game in the regular season, the Steelers have are averaging 35 rushing attempts over two games against the Chargers and Ravens. The team that has rushed the ball more in the Super Bowl is 36-4 all-time. Does anyone doubt that Pittsburgh will be that team this time?

Bet on the Super Bowl at WagerWeb.com

WagerWeb.com Game Trends
* Steelers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 playoff games as a favorite.
* Steelers are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 playoff games.
* Steelers are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
* Steelers are 6-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Steelers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games on grass.
* Steelers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a S.U. win.
* Steelers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as a favorite.
* Steelers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game.
* Steelers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS win.
* Steelers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after accumulating more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
* Steelers are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games after accumulating less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
* Steelers are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games after allowing less than 150 yards passing in their previous game.
* Steelers are 24-11-1 ATS in their last 36 games as a favorite of 3.5-10.0.
* Cardinals are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games on grass.
* Cardinals are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
* Cardinals are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
* Cardinals are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as an underdog of 3.5-10.0.
* Cardinals are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 playoff games.
* Cardinals are 12-5 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Over is 5-0 in Steelers last 5 games after allowing less than 250 total yards in their previous game.
* Over is 7-1 in Steelers last 8 playoff games as a favorite.
* Over is 6-1 in Steelers last 7 playoff games as a favorite of 3.5-10.0.
* Over is 12-2 in Steelers last 14 playoff games.
* Over is 4-1 in Steelers last 5 games after allowing less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
* Over is 6-2 in Steelers last 8 games following a S.U. win.
* Over is 5-2 in Steelers last 7 games as a favorite of 3.5-10.0.
* Over is 5-2 in Steelers last 7 games after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game.
* Over is 5-2 in Steelers last 7 games after allowing less than 150 yards passing in their previous game.
* Over is 5-2 in Steelers last 7 games following a ATS win.
* Over is 11-5 in Steelers last 16 games as a favorite.
* Over is 6-0 in Cardinals last 6 games after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game.
* Over is 5-1 in Cardinals last 6 games after accumulating more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
* Over is 20-6 in Cardinals last 26 games following a ATS win.
* Over is 38-13 in Cardinals last 51 games as an underdog.
* Over is 23-8 in Cardinals last 31 games on grass.
* Over is 22-8 in Cardinals last 30 games following a S.U. win.
* Over is 19-7 in Cardinals last 26 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
* Over is 19-7 in Cardinals last 26 vs. a team with a winning record.
* Over is 38-14 in Cardinals last 52 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
* Over is 24-9 in Cardinals last 33 games as an underdog of 3.5-10.0.
* Over is 20-8 in Cardinals last 28 games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
* Over is 35-16 in Cardinals last 51 games overall.

NFL Betting at WagerWeb.com

A few Super Bowl trends to know

Here, compiled from various Web sites, are some trends for you to chew on before making those last-minute Super Bowl bets on WagerWeb.com.

*- The NFC has won the Super Bowl coin toss 11 straight times and 14 of the past 16 games.

*-Teams shutout in the first half are 0-11. Teams gaining a double-digit lead at any point are 37-1.

*-There has never been a shutout in the Super Bowl. Only one team, the Dolphins in VI, didn’t score a touchdown.

*-There have been three Super Bowls previously held in Tampa. Two underdogs won straight up (the Raiders over Skins in XVIII and Giants over Bills in XXV), while the XXXV Ravens covered easily against the Giants. The under has gone 2-1 in Tampa Super Bowls and is 4-0 in the past four big games overall.

*-Teams that score more than 32 points in the Super Bowl are 18-0 straight up, and this has happened twice in Tampa.

*-Overall in Super Bowls, the favorites is 27-15 SU and 23-17-2 ATS.

*-Super Bowl teams scoring first are 27–15 (.643); 14–7 (.667) with a touchdown, 12–8 (.600) with a field goal and 1–0 with a safety.

*-The team that has more rushing attempts in the Super Bowl has won more than 70 percent of the time. All three times the winning team in Tampa had more rushing attempts.

*-First-time Super Bowl teams, like the Cards, are 8-18 straight-up and 9-17 ATS.

*-AccuScore, which you may have seen on ESPN.com, forecasts this year’s game as an average Steeler victory of 27.1-20.6. Super Bowl teams that score 27 or more points are 24-3-1 ATS. Super Bowl teams that score 20 points or less are just 8-31-1 ATS.

NFL Betting at WagerWeb.com

Super Bowl XLIII: Cardinals offense vs. Steelers defense

They say that some of the best ideas in history were stolen from other people. Well, I’m not above history, so I will admit to the first part of this story being paraphrased from SI.com, but it’s good stuff when looking at how that Arizona offense might fare against the NFL’s top-ranked Steeler defense on Sunday evening in Super Bowl XLIII.

The Cards, as you probably know, averaged 26.7 points per game in the regular season, third-best in the NFL. Arizona opened five games this season by jumping out to a lead of at least 10-0. In the Cardinals’ 12 wins, including the playoffs, they opened up leads averaging 18 points at some point. Against teams whose defense ranked in the top 15 in scoring, that average lead was even higher: 22 points per game. Now that’s fairly stunning.

The largest deficit the Steelers overcame in ‘08 was a 10-point hole in the third quarter against Dallas and 13-3 against Baltimore. Beyond that, they overcame three-, two- and one-point second-half leads to the Ravens, Chargers and Jaguars, respectively. Pittsburgh has only faced four teams with top 10 offenses, and half of their losses came in those games. They fell behind the Eagles 10-3 in the second quarter and never rallied; and they moved a total of one yard over two series while trailing the Giants by seven to give that game away.

OK, thank you SI.com. But does that information not make you believe that Arizona can win this game despite being 6.5-point underdogs on WagerWeb.com?

Pittsburgh’s defense, having held both of its playoff opponents to an average of 244 total yards, faces an offense that has recorded 357, 360, and 369 yards in three playoff games. And among all Super Bowl participants, the team that scored more points in the regular season (Arizona scored 427, Pittsburgh 347) is 23-17 in the Super Bowl (two Super Bowls featured teams that scored the same number of points in the regular season). Thirteen teams have finished first in total offense in the regular season and reached the Super Bowl. But only seven of them won.

The team with the top-ranked defense has reached the Super Bowl eight times previously since 1970. Seven times that team won, with the lone exception being the 1982 Dolphins.

The over/under for the Cardinals on Sunday is 20 points on WagerWeb.com.

Of course you know about Cards QB Kurt Warner, who threw for 4,583 in the regular season and has thrown for 770 yards and eight touchdowns in the postseason. And you know about Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston, who all had more than 1,000 yards receiving in the regular season. Fitzgerald has followed that with an NFL-record 419 yards and five touchdowns in the playoffs.

But did you know that Arizona has become just the fourth team in NFL history to make the playoffs after finishing the regular season last in rushing offense? The Cards are the only team to win a playoff game, much less reach the Super Bowl.

But in the playoffs, Arizona is averaging 111 yards per game in three playoff contests, while outgaining its opponents on the ground 333 yards to 232. Edgerrin James has gone on to total 203 yards and a touchdown on 52 carries in three playoff games against the Falcons, Panthers and Eagles.

Frankly, this game probably comes down to whether James and the Cards can at least make a small dent in that Pittsburgh rush defense, which ranked No. 2 in the NFL and has allowed a total of 88 yards. Including the playoffs, the Steelers have not allowed a 100-yard rusher all season. James won’t get 100, but the Cards will cover.

Bet on the Super Bowl at WagerWeb.com

WagerWeb.com Game Trends
* Steelers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 playoff games as a favorite.
* Steelers are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 playoff games.
* Steelers are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
* Steelers are 6-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Steelers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games on grass.
* Steelers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a S.U. win.
* Steelers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as a favorite.
* Steelers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game.
* Steelers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS win.
* Steelers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after accumulating more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
* Steelers are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games after accumulating less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
* Steelers are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games after allowing less than 150 yards passing in their previous game.
* Steelers are 24-11-1 ATS in their last 36 games as a favorite of 3.5-10.0.
* Cardinals are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games on grass.
* Cardinals are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
* Cardinals are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
* Cardinals are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as an underdog of 3.5-10.0.
* Cardinals are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 playoff games.
* Cardinals are 12-5 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Over is 5-0 in Steelers last 5 games after allowing less than 250 total yards in their previous game.
* Over is 7-1 in Steelers last 8 playoff games as a favorite.
* Over is 6-1 in Steelers last 7 playoff games as a favorite of 3.5-10.0.
* Over is 12-2 in Steelers last 14 playoff games.
* Over is 4-1 in Steelers last 5 games after allowing less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
* Over is 6-2 in Steelers last 8 games following a S.U. win.
* Over is 5-2 in Steelers last 7 games as a favorite of 3.5-10.0.
* Over is 5-2 in Steelers last 7 games after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game.
* Over is 5-2 in Steelers last 7 games after allowing less than 150 yards passing in their previous game.
* Over is 5-2 in Steelers last 7 games following a ATS win.
* Over is 11-5 in Steelers last 16 games as a favorite.
* Over is 6-0 in Cardinals last 6 games after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game.
* Over is 5-1 in Cardinals last 6 games after accumulating more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
* Over is 20-6 in Cardinals last 26 games following a ATS win.
* Over is 38-13 in Cardinals last 51 games as an underdog.
* Over is 23-8 in Cardinals last 31 games on grass.
* Over is 22-8 in Cardinals last 30 games following a S.U. win.
* Over is 19-7 in Cardinals last 26 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
* Over is 19-7 in Cardinals last 26 vs. a team with a winning record.
* Over is 38-14 in Cardinals last 52 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
* Over is 24-9 in Cardinals last 33 games as an underdog of 3.5-10.0.
* Over is 20-8 in Cardinals last 28 games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
* Over is 35-16 in Cardinals last 51 games overall.

NFL Betting at WagerWeb.com

DRC will be big key for Cards in Super Bowl

A few days ago here on WagerWeb.com, I mentioned it might be worth putting down a few bucks on Steelers safety Troy Polamalu to win Super Bowl XLIII MVP honors.

Yes, only seven times has a Super Bowl ended with a defensive MVP, and only three times has it been a defensive back. And Polamalu is good value at +1200 on WagerWeb.com. But there is one defensive player with lower odds than the Steelers’ Pro Bowler, and that’s a rookie – Cardinals cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who is at +800 on WagerWeb.com.

The rookie took off in the second half of the season for Arizona. He was just a nickel back until Nov. 2, when he replaced Eric Green in the starting lineup. He ended up leading the Cards in picks (4) and passes defensed in the regular season. But he really burst onto the national scene in that divisional-round win against Carolina when he held Panthers All-Pro receiver Steve Smith catchless until about a minute remained in the third quarter. DRC also had a pick in that game and has two this postseason.

His value as an MVP prop bet on WagerWeb.com has risen, in my opinion, because Steelers WR Hines Ward is not going to be 100 percent. That means Ben Roethlisberger likely will look toward Santonio Holmes more often, and that’s who DRC will be locked in on. Holmes has been very good this postseason, returning a punt for a TD against the Chargers and turning in a 65-yard touchdown reception (mostly yards after the catch) against the Ravens.

“He’s a guy who has speed coming in and out of cuts,” Rodgers-Cromartie said. “He can catch the ball well, he catches it in traffic and he isn’t scared to run after the catch. And, if the quarterback is flushed out of the pocket, he’s a guy who’s going to move around and make plays.”

At 6-foot-2 and with 4.28 speed in the 40, DRC has the size to stick with big receivers and the speed to catch up if he is overplaying the short throw.

“He’s a game-changer,” fellow Cards defensive back Antrel Rolle said of the rookie.

However, he is a rookie, and he made a rookie mistake in the NFC title game as his coverage breakdown led to DeSean Jackson’s 62-yard TD reception. It is for his big-play potential, both good and bad, that makes DRC arguably the pivotal player on the Arizona defense.

The rookie will have about a 3-inch height advantage on Holmes as well as a strength advantage. But Holmes has a good ability to set cornerbacks up with double moves. If he does, Roethlisberger can throw the deep ball as well as anyone. Will the rookie bite and be able to recover? An MVP award and Super Bowl ring might depend on that answer.

NFL Betting at WagerWeb.com

Saturday NCAA: Providence (14-6) at Connecticut (19-1)

There are plenty of good NCAA basketball matchups on Saturday, but I have chosen to write about Providence at Connecticut because this series has been so one-sided lately … in favor of the Friars!

No. 2 UConn no doubt will open as a sizable favorite on WagerWeb.com on Saturday morning, and the Huskies have won eight games in a row since suffering their lone loss. Connecticut is poised to take over the No. 1 spot in the polls for the first time since 2006. But, boy, have they had trouble with Providence, which has been a pleasant surprise in the Big East this year.

Under new coach Keno Davis, the Friars have won four straight games when playing at UConn (either in Hartford or Storrs) and three in a row in this series overall. The Huskies haven’t beaten the Friars in Storrs since Feb. 6, 1996. UConn has not defeated the Friars at home since a 67-56 victory on Feb. 5, 2002.

“I would say we’re a confident group going in but we’re not over-confident,” Davis said. “You don’t look at UConn’s team and think that you deserve to go in there and win.”

“It’s payback,” Huskies senior Jeff Adrien said. “It’s one of the teams we haven’t beaten since my freshman year and we have to get it. We can’t overlook Providence.”

Plus, Providence is playing well, having hit 10 three-pointers in a win over Syracuse on Wednesday that has the Friars off to their best Big East start (6-2) since 2000-01. UConn has lost only 13 of the 77 Big East games it has played in Gampel since the building opened (not that PC cares) and has won 11 straight games there overall.

Senior swingman Weyinmi Efejuku leads four Providence players averaging in double figures at 13.4 points a game – the Friars are second in the Big East in scoring. That win over Syracuse was the school’s first over a ranked team this year, and PC has have won three in a row following losses to Georgetown and Marquette.

Providence defeated UConn 85-76 on March 6 of last season behind 26 points from Efejuku. PC hasn’t been ranked since 2004 but will be with a victory.

UConn freshman point guard Kemba Walker, the team’s fifth-leading scorer at 9.8 points per game, missed practice Thursday with a sprained knee but expects to play. The Huskies, by the way, have a huge game with Louisville on Monday night looming as well.

NCAA basketball Betting at WagerWeb.com

Australian Open men’s final: Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer

There’s no question that Rafael Nadal-Roger Federer is the best rivalry in tennis, but it might now be the best in all of sports. And it gets renewed on Sunday (late Saturday in the U.S.) in steamy Melbourne in the final of the Australian Open.

Federer might have a bit of an advantage heading into the final because he will be better-rested,and he is the -160 favorite on WagerWeb.com. He swept past Andy Roddick on Thursday in straight sets in the semis, while Nadal had to wait until Friday to face fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco. And what a match that was.

It took 5 hours and 14 minutes, but Nadal outlasted Verdasco 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (2), 6-7 (1), 6-4 in the longest match in Australian Open history. Now the world No. 1 will attempt to keep second-ranked Federer from tying Pete Sampras’ record of 14 major titles.

Nadal said it would be tough to recover for his first Grand Slam final on a hard court. He is the +125 WagerWeb.com underdog.

“Roger has a bit of an advantage over me,” said Nadal, whose previous best showing at the tournament was reaching the semifinals last year. “He’s resting right now. It’s tough to sleep after something like this. But I want to try my best. It’s very important for me to be in this final. Whatever happens on Sunday, I’ve started the season my best ever.”

Nadal has had Federer’s number in their careers, going 12-6, including that Wimbledon final last year that ranks as the single greatest tennis match ever. Ten of the meetings between the two have been on clay, with Nadal winning all but one – Federer’s win in the 2007 Hamburg Masters ended the Spaniard’s record, 81-game clay-court winning streak. Federer, however, has held the edge on hardcourt, and, until Nadal’s victory in that Wimbledon decider last season, completely dominated on grass.

“For sure I’d prefer another opponent,” said Nadal, 22. “But this makes the sport, finals like this.”

Federer, in fact, holds the record for consecutive victories on hard courts (56), but it was Nadal who ended that run. Amazingly, these two have never faced each other in any round at the Australian Open.

They last met on hard courts in Shanghai 14 months ago, a 6-4, 6-1 win for Federer that put him up three wins to Nadal’s two on the surface. Nadal is improving on the surface, going a tour-leading 46-10 on hardcourts in 2008 - including career-best semifinals at last year’s Australian and U.S. Opens and the Olympic gold medal in Beijing.

“People sort of forgot about him leading in but I think he’s been showing why he’s the best player in the world at the moment,” Federer, a three-time Australian Open champion.

Nadal is bidding to become the first Spanish champion at the Australian Open. He goes for his seventh Grand Slam title and holds a 4-2 edge over Federer in Slam finals.

Enjoy the show!

Tennis Betting at WagerWeb.com

Friday NBA: Anthony back for Nuggets vs. Bobcats

Friday night’s Charlotte-Denver game in the Mile High City shouldn’t be very competitive, and the Nuggets are 10-point WagerWeb.com favorites, as the home team gets its best player back and the visitors will be without theirs.

Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony, averaging a team-leading 21.1 points, has been cleared by his doctor to play Friday night against Charlotte, returning ahead of schedule from a hand fracture he suffered Jan. 5 vs. the Pacers.

However, Melo must tape up his two middle fingers to protect the healing hand. He was supposed to miss at least four weeks.

“No tape, no play,” Anthony said. “That was [the doctor's] quote. Got to listen to that. … (But) I healed faster thought, faster than he thought.”

Denver was 6-4 in Anthony’s absence, including losing 94-81 loss in New Orleans on Wednesday that snapped its three-game winning streak.

“I’m so excited to have him back. We need him desperately right now,” guard Chauncey Billups said. “We did a pretty good job holding down the ship while he was gone. We miss him, bad, bad right now.”

Charlotte leading scorer Gerald Wallace, meanwhile, suffered a partially collapsed lung and a broken rib on a huge foul by the Lakers’ Andrew Bynum earlier this week and will be out at least a few weeks.

Adam Morrison (remember him) started in Wallace’s spot Wednesday in Portland. Playing 27 minutes – most he’s played since Dec. 10 – Morrison was 2-of-6 from the field. It’s likely that Boris Diaw will get the majority of minutes at Wallace’s small forward spot.

Charlotte’s 91.8 points per game rank last in the NBA. Emeka Okafor scored a team-high 18 points in Wednesday’s loss. He is averaging 16.4 points and 12.0 boards in seven career games against Denver, which has won six of the last eight matchups in this series.

WagerWeb.com Game Trends
* Bobcats are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games after scoring less than 75 points in their previous game.
* Bobcats are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
* Bobcats are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. Western Conference.
* Bobcats are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games as a road underdog of 5.0-10.5.
* Bobcats are 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 Friday games.
* Bobcats are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a S.U. loss.
* Bobcats are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Bobcats are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games playing on 1 days rest.
* Bobcats are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games overall.
* Bobcats are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games following a SU loss of more than 10 points.
* Bobcats are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games as an underdog.
* Bobcats are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 games as an underdog of 5.0-10.5.
* Bobcats are 14-6 ATS in their last 20 games following a ATS loss.
* Bobcats are 11-5 ATS in their last 16 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
* Nuggets are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
* Nuggets are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a losing S.U. record.
* Nuggets are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS loss.
* Nuggets are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
* Nuggets are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a favorite.
* Nuggets are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Nuggets are 24-6-1 ATS in their last 31 games as a favorite of 5.0-10.5.
* Nuggets are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games playing on 1 days rest.
* Nuggets are 23-9-1 ATS in their last 33 games as a home favorite of 5.0-10.5.
* Nuggets are 15-6 ATS in their last 21 games following a SU loss of more than 10 points.
* Nuggets are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games following a S.U. loss.
* Nuggets are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 Friday games.
* Favorite is 6-2 ATS in the last 8 meetings.
* Bobcats are 2-6 ATS in the last 8 meetings.

NBA Betting at WagerWeb.com

Friday NBA: Celtics (38-9) at Pistons (25-19)

One of the NBA’s best rivalries is back on Friday night when Boston visits Detroit, but it appears these two teams really aren’t in the same class this season.

Boston has opened as a 5.5-point favorite on WagerWeb.com and will be going for its 10th consecutive win on Friday night, while the Pistons have won just three of their past 10 overall. The Celtics have handled the Pistons twice already this year, winning both by double-digits in November and not allowing Detroit to score more than 80 points. The C’s are No. 2 in the league in defense.

“Right now, with the transition they’re going through with Allen Iverson, trying to figure out their identity, you never know which team is going to show up,” Boston’s Paul Pierce said. “You have a team that plays well in spurts and then has a little inconsistency.”

Although Iverson was with the Pistons for both games in November, Antonio McDyess was not and Rodney Stuckey had not emerged as the starting point guard. The Celtics bench outscored the Pistons, 85-52, those two games.

Detroit is coming off a big 98-89 victory over the Timberwolves on Wednesday (yes, beating the red-hot Timberwolves counts as a big win). And Rasheed Wallace and Richard Hamilton both continued a mini-surge in that game. Wallace was dominant with 25 points and 10 rebounds, which was preceded by a 22-point, 11-rebound effort in a loss to the Rockets.
http://www.wagerweb.com/sports-betting/nba-odds.html
“He’s been much better the last couple games,” Pistons coach Michael Curry said.

Hamilton, in his fourth game as a reserve, scored 11 points on 5-for-12 shooting, but a hot streak in the third quarter allowed the Pistons to overcome an 11-point deficit. He had 27 in the Rockets’ game. However, Rip aggravated a groin injury against Minnesota that forced him to miss eight games in late December and early January. He didn’t practice Thursday but expects to play tonight. Since Hamilton has been the sixth man (four games), the Pistons reserves have been a plus-49.

Boston is beating teams by an average of 16.5 points in its winning streak, and reserve Eddie House is on fire. After failing to score more than 15 points in any of his first 42 games, House has at least 23 in three of his last four. He’s 22-for-32 (68.8 percent) from behind the arc in that stretch.

Wallace has been held to 23 total points and 8-for-26 shooting (30.8 percent) in the two games against Boston this year. The Celtics have won four of their past five at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

WagerWeb.com Game Trends
* Celtics are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
* Celtics are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games following a S.U. win.
* Celtics are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games following a SU win of more than 10 points.
* Celtics are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games as a favorite.
* Celtics are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 road games.
* Celtics are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games playing on 1 days rest.
* Celtics are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
* Celtics are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games as a favorite of 5.0-10.5.
* Celtics are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS win.
* Celtics are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 vs. Eastern Conference.
* Celtics are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 Friday games.
* Celtics are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
* Celtics are 54-23-1 ATS in their last 78 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
* Celtics are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
* Pistons are 12-3 ATS in their last 15 games as an underdog of 5.0-10.5.
* Pistons are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games overall.
* Pistons are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games as a home underdog.
* Pistons are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Pistons are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 home games.
* Pistons are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 Friday games.
* Pistons are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
* Pistons are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
* Under is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings in Detroit.
* Celtics are 7-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings in Detroit.
* Under is 13-3 in the last 16 meetings.
* Celtics are 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
* Underdog is 15-6 ATS in the last 21 meetings.
* Road team is 12-4 ATS in the last 16 meetings.

NBA Betting at WagerWeb.com

Greg Melikov’s Horses to Watch

Horses worth watching, a list of runners compiled by handicapper/turf writer Greg Melikov that should improve significantly or do well next time out, won four times, ran second nine times and finished third twice since Nov. 20. These thoroughbreds are worth considering when developing your betting strategy.

AQUEDUCT

Aly’s Wheat: Raced three lengths behind in fifth after a half-mile, lost ground after six furlongs, rallied in two path at top of stretch from fourth, finished fastest making up 3 ¼ lengths and ran second beaten three-quarters of a length at a mile on Jan. 23.

FAIR GROUNDS

Song of the Road: Broke eighth and last, moved to seventh more than 6 ½ lengths behind after a half-mile, circled foes for drive, made up 2 ½ lengths in stretch and finished second beaten a neck at about 1 1/16 miles on the turf Jan. 23.

GULFSTREAM PARK

Weekend Strike: Raced 10th more than eight lengths behind after a half-mile, swung out for stretch run, rallied from seventh to make up more than 3 ¼ lengths and gained second by a neck at a mile on the turf Jan 18; ran final quarter in 23 3/5.

LAUREL PARK

Uno Royale: Raced third more than two lengths behind after three-eighths of a mile, lost ground going wide entering stretch, rallied from fourth to make up nearly 2 ½ lengths and finished third beaten a neck and a length at 5 ½ furlongs on Jan. 21.

OAKLAWN PARK

Stellsie: Bumped at the break, raced more than three lengths behind in seventh after a half-mile, lost ground going five wide for drive, rallied from sixth in stretch to make up 3 ½ lengths and finished second beaten a head at six furlongs on Jan. 23.

PHILADELPHIA PARK

Wild Scent: Raced more than eight lengths behind after a half-mile, rallied between rivals in stretch to make up 5 ¼ lengths and gained second by 2 ½ lengths on Jan. 21; ran final quarter in 24 1/5.

RETAMA PARK

Aunt Adell: Broke a bit slow 10th and last, raced ninth more than 4 ½ lengths after three-eighths of a mile, saved ground on turn, blocked, steadied near quarter-pole, rallied in stretch to make up 4 ½ lengths and finished second beaten a head at five furlongs on the turf.

SANTA ANITA PARK

Brought It: Broke in the air eighth and last, moved to seventh more than 12 lengths behind after a half-mile, came out four wide into stretch, rallied from fifth to make up more than 1 ½ lengths and finished second beaten a head at seven furlongs on Jan. 22.

TURF PARADISE

Aly’s Arch Angel: Raced more than three lengths behind in fifth after a half-mile, saved ground advancing to third after six furlongs, encountered traffic in stretch dropping to sixth and rallied gamely to finish third beaten two necks at about a mile on the turf Jan. 23.

TURFWAY PARK

Fiddlers Princess: Raced more than 11 ½ lengths behind in ninth after a half-mile, advanced to fourth in stretch, made up four lengths and finished second beaten a neck at a mile on Jan. 22.

Horse Racing Betting at WagerWeb.com

Steelers’ Ward admits he won’t be 100 percent

Steelers receiver Hines Ward will play in Super Bowl XLIII – no big surprise – but even he admits he won’t be 100 percent, and he won’t practice before Thursday. He is officially listed as questionable.

“I’m not going to be 100 percent, I’m not going to trick anybody,” Ward said. “But I think I’m going to be able to go out there and perform like I’m used to.”

Ward said he will likely wear a knee brace in the game, which might affect his route-running. The Steelers remain 7-point favorites on WagerWeb.com.

“I think I have to play with it,” said Ward, who sprained his MCL in the AFC Championship Game. “In case you fall down on it, you don’t want to re-injure falling down. The thing is, you want to play with a brace and make sure it doesn’t affect your route-running ability. Time will tell.”

Ward is going to sleep in his hyperbaric oxygen chamber, which he had shipped to town before the team’s arrival. He believes it will aid his recovery and give him the best chance to be effective in Super Bowl XLIII. A hyperbaric oxygen chamber, which “feeds” the body with more oxygen, can help kill germs and rebuild damaged tissues.

“I’ve worked my tail off to get to this point, and there is no way I’m going to miss this game,” he said. “I’m putting in overtime to make sure that I can set up my opportunities to go out here and help this team win a Super Bowl.”

Ward led the Steelers in the regular season with 81 receptions and 1,043 yards. He isn’t worried about having just two days of practice before the game and said he feels “10 times better” than he did last week.

“People [have asked] me all week if he’s going to be out there and I want to smack them,” Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger said. “First of all, it’s the Super Bowl. Second of all, it’s Hines Ward. He’s going to be out there and he’s going to be just fine.”

NFL Betting at WagerWeb.com

AC Milan attempting to keep Beckham

That David Beckham to MLS campaign to “rescue” soccer in America might be a rather short one. That’s because AC Milan of Italy’s Serie A is going to meet Beckham’s agents to see if the former England captain can get out of his contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy and stay put.

“If Beckham reaches an agreement with the Galaxy, we are prepared to pay a fee,” Milan vice president Adriano Galliani said Tuesday. “We will meet with his representatives in the next few days.

“The player wants to stay with us, but he knows he has to return.”

Beckham is on a two-month loan from the Galaxy and is due to return to Major League Soccer on March 9. He had his first goal with AC Milan in Sunday’s win over Bologna.

“If the Los Angeles Galaxy were to decide not to release him, then they won’t release him,” Galliani said. “In America, they have the same rules as European football: The player has a contract. But having said that, we’ll have to wait and see.”

The Galaxy aren’t expected to let Beckham go.

“We’ve got two players out on loan agreements and those loans end March 8,” said Galaxy coach Bruce Arena (also noting Landon Donovan). “We set conditions and we’ve lived up to our part of the loan agreements.”

British tabloid reports suggest wife Victoria isn’t wanting to stay in Italy and does not want to uproot their three sons after their previous spell in a non-English speaking country with Real Madrid.

If AC Milan were to be able to keep Beckham, it would be quite a few weeks for the club. It recently fought off an offer from Premier League club Manchester City for 2007 FIFA Player of the Year Kaka and now has a four-match unbeaten streak.

“That ordeal gave all of us a lot of enthusiasm, because there was a real show of affection,” Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “At the end, the fact that (Kaka) stayed gave us all confidence.”

AC Milan faces Genoa on Wednesday – bet on the match at WagerWeb.com.

Soccer Betting on WagerWeb.com

Aussie Open quarterfinals: Serena Williams vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova

At least Serena Williams and Svetlana Kuznetsova both should be pretty well-rested for their Australian Open quarterfinal match on Tuesday night in the U.S. Both got into the quarters despite not playing full matches the last time out.

Kuznetsova walked into the quarters when 22nd seed Jie Zheng was forced to withdraw with a sprained wrist with the Russian leading 4-1. Williams’ opponent, Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, woke up feeling nauseous but defied doctors’ orders and attempted to play her match. In fact, she won the first set 6-3 before Serena took a 4-2 lead in the second as Azarenka nearly fainted and had to call it a day.

Thus Serena, the No. 2 seed, and Kuznetsova, the No. 8, face off with a trip to the Aussie Open’s final four at stake. And Kuznetsova is confident she can upset the three-time champion of this event.

Kuznetsova, the 2004 U.S. Open champion, beat Williams 6-3, 6-3 in Germany in 2007, while Williams won their first two and last two encounters, the most recent being a three-setter in Miami in 2008. Kuznetsova is a +200 underdog on WagerWeb.com.

“I haven’t played her that many times but she serves big and lots of things depend on her serve,” Kuznetsova said. “I’m fine with it. It’s not like I cannot play her or something. I feel comfortable and I don’t think I make her that uncomfortable that much either.

“I know I can beat her. I beat her in Stuttgart once very comfortably,” the Russian continued. “I was playing an unbelievable match by then, but she beat me next time and this is tennis.”

Williams, who is -300 on WagerWeb.com for the quarterfinal match, is the last American female in the tournament and looking for her fourth Aussie Open (all won in odd years) and 10th Grand Slam victory.

“She gets a ton of balls back, she’s extremely strong, I think we have a similar game,” Williams said of Kuznetsova. “I think it will be a great match.”

Serena’s serve has been a struggle, with first serve percentage below 60 percent this tournament - that figure dipping to 56 against Azarenka. Williams hit the practice courts after the match to work on it.

“I just was clearly disappointed in my serve so (I) just wanted to work on that a little bit,” she said. “(I) wanted to hit a few more balls.”

Tennis betting at WagerWeb.com

Pens’ Crosby questionable for Wednesday

Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosby desperately wanted to play in the All-Star Game in Montreal, so you know his injury must be pretty serious if Crosby decided against playing in the game.

The question now is: Will he be ready for the second half of the season? For the Pens that begins Wednesday night against the Rangers – bet on that game at WagerWeb.com.

Crosby was back on the ice Monday for the first time in nearly a week but is officially questionable for Wednesday’s game. He left a Jan. 14 game against the Washington Capitals with an undisclosed injury believed to be a bruised left knee.

“I can still feel it a bit, so I’ll see if it gets better,” Crosby said, while adding the he couldn’t have played Monday night if there was a game. “Five days (off the ice) is pretty long, and I was a little rusty. (I pushed it) as hard as I could, (because) if you can’t go hard in practice, you probably can’t go hard in the game.”

Crosby has 17 goals and 43 assists in 2008-2009 and ranks second to Evgeni Malkin in scoring in the NHL. The Pens have been one of the disappointments in the league and currently are outside the playoff race. He said it was the smart move to sit out the All-Star game, although he did travel to Montreal.

“It was just getting a little worse instead of getting a little better,” said Crosby. “So that meant we needed to try to get myself the best opportunity to heal.”

Pens forwards Pascal Dupuis and Max Talbot will be ready to play Wednesday. They were on the injured reserve before the All-Star break.

Pittsburgh had lost the first three games with the Rangers this season (two in shootouts) before beating New York 3-0 on Jan. 18.

NHL Betting at WagerWeb.com

Tuesday NBA: Spurs (29-14) at Jazz (25-20)

Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan sounds like some changes might be in order for his team, which has lost three straight games heading into tonight’s tough matchup with the Spurs.

Utah is a 1.5-point home favorite over San Antonio on WagerWeb.com.

Sloan has bemoaned the team’s slow starts of late, hinting that C.J. Miles may be demoted from the starting five.

“The first and start of the third quarters — we’re not getting anything,” the Jazz coach said. “It’s not totally (Miles’) fault. … But we probably have to take a look at changing something, because we’re not getting very much efficiency out of anything we do.”

Other Jazz starters seemed to agree something needed to be done.

“Something,” Deron Williams said. “I mean, something’s wrong with the first group, obviously. We can’t come out with a lot of energy game after game. We do at home most of the time, because we’re at home. But even lately we haven’t had the same energy at home.”

Sloan could replace Miles with Kyle Korver, Matt Harpring or Ronnie Price, but would prefer to use the three off the bench. Korver has not started once in 89 games since coming to the Jazz, Harpring’s minutes are limited still due to recent knee surgeries and Price is undersized. Since returning from a sprained ankle, Miles has averaged 8.7 points and shot 45.7 percent the last six games.

Center Mehmet Okur has really struggled lately too, averaging 8.0 points while shooting 20.6 percent (7-for-34) during the Jazz’s losing streak. Utah is not expected to have sixth man Andrei Kirilenko tonight (ankle).

Utah lost 119-94 to San Antonio on Nov. 21 in the teams’ only meeting so far. The Spurs had 15 3-pointers in that game, with Roger Mason and George Hill combining for 52 points. Spurs stars Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili missed that game, as did the Jazz’s Williams.

San Antonio is in the middle of a very tough stretch in which it will play 12 of 13 games on the road. The Spurs opened that stretch with a 99-85 loss Sunday to the Lakers. But San Antonio still has won 20 of its last 26 games. But it has lost four straight regular season games in Salt Lake City since a 95-86 win on April 4, 2006.

WagerWeb.com Game Trends
* Spurs are 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 games following a SU loss of more than 10 points.
* Spurs are 11-23 ATS in their last 34 games as a road underdog.
* Spurs are 7-16 ATS in their last 23 games as an underdog of 0.5-4.5.
* Spurs are 7-18 ATS in their last 25 games as a road underdog of 0.5-4.5.
* Spurs are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
* Spurs are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
* Spurs are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games playing on 1 days rest.
* Jazz are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a SU loss of more than 10 points.
* Jazz are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games playing on 1 days rest.
* Jazz are 19-7-1 ATS in their last 27 games as a home favorite of 0.5-4.5.
* Jazz are 20-8 ATS in their last 28 vs. NBA Southwest.
* Jazz are 50-24-2 ATS in their last 76 games as a home favorite.
* Jazz are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a S.U. loss.
* Jazz are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as a favorite.
* Jazz are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
* Jazz are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
* Jazz are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games following a ATS loss.
* Jazz are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Jazz are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 vs. Western Conference.
* Home team is 17-4 ATS in the last 21 meetings.
* Over is 9-3 in the last 12 meetings.
* Under is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings in Utah.
* Favorite is 19-7 ATS in the last 26 meetings.
* Spurs are 8-3 ATS in the last 11 meetings.
* Spurs are 1-5 ATS in the last 6 meetings in Utah.

NBA Betting at WagerWeb.com

Tuesday NCAA: Purdue (15-4) at Wisconsin (12-7)

Could Wisconsin’s NCAA Tournament be just about over by the end of January? Of course anything can happen in the Big Ten Tournament, but the Badgers‘ idea of getting an at-large berth might be in serious danger if they don’t hold serve at home Tuesday night against No. 17 Purdue.

This game is currently a pick’em on WagerWeb.com.

UW has lost four straight conference games and is just seventh in the Big Ten at 3-4. This is a club that was ranked in both polls to start the season and which has won 30 games each of the past two years and reached the NCAA Tournament in each of the past 10.

“We have played good stretches in the last four games,” Wisconsin junior guard Jason Bohannon said. “We’ve had leads and we’ve let them get away from us, or we have come back from leads to make it a close game. This time we need to put a whole game together and be the aggressor for the entire 40 minutes.”

Frankly, the first meeting of the season between these teams changed the course of both. Wisconsin was 3-0 in the Big Ten and Purdue 0-2 when they played on Jan. 11 in West Lafayette. Behind JaJuan Johnson’s 20 points, Purdue beat the Badgers 65-52. The Boilers haven’t lost since, and the Badgers haven’t won.

“We needed that win when we played them the first time,” Purdue guard Chris Kramer said. “Now, they haven’t been playing as well as they would like. They’re trying to get back to that point.”

Johnson has been the best player during Purdue’s four-game winning streak, averaging 15.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.5 blocks. Badgers leading scorer Marcus Landry has struggled in his career vs. Purdue, averaging 6.5 points and shooting 26.3 percent from the field in four meetings.

Purdue defeated Wisconsin last season in Madison and has beaten the Badgers three consecutive times. A loss tonight will give Wisconsin its first five-game losing streak since an eight-game slide from Jan. 21-Feb. 14, 1998. The Badgers also are yet to beat a ranked team this year, going 0-6, and are just 1-6 ATS in their past seven Tuesday games.

WagerWeb.com Game Trends
* Boilermakers are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 games as an underdog.
* Boilermakers are 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 games as an underdog of 0.5-6.5.
* Boilermakers are 25-9-1 ATS in their last 35 vs. Big Ten.
* Boilermakers are 12-5-1 ATS in their last 18 road games.
* Boilermakers are 7-3-1 ATS in their last 11 games as a road underdog.
* Boilermakers are 4-11-1 ATS in their last 16 games as a road underdog of 0.5-6.5.
* Boilermakers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS win.
* Badgers are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
* Badgers are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Badgers are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
* Badgers are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. Big Ten.
* Badgers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Badgers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
* Boilermakers are 6-0 ATS in the last 6 meetings.
* Under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.
* Home team is 9-4 ATS in the last 13 meetings.
* Underdog is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.

NCAA Basketball Betting at WagerWeb.com

Steelers’ Parker looking like ‘Fast Willie’ again

How many players do you know who are unbeaten in their career as a starter in the playoffs (with at least five starts)?

Well, I know there’s one: Steelers running back Willie Parker. Yep, “Fast Willie” is 6-0 all-time in the playoffs when he starts for Pittsburgh. His 75-yard touchdown run in Super Bowl XL was the longest in Super Bowl history, surpassing Marcus Allen’s 74-yard run in Super Bowl XVIII.

Parker has three touchdowns in six career playoff games, two of them coming during the Steelers’ 35-24 victory over the San Diego Chargers in this season’s divisional round. While Parker was limited to 47 yards on 24 carries against the Ravens in the AFC title game, it’s pretty clear that Parker is finally healthy, and he could be the key for Sunday’s Super Bowl against the Cardinals, who are 7-point underdogs on WagerWeb.com.

Parker had 146 yards against San Diego after ending the season with a 100-yard game. He looked like the best back in the NFL after the first two weeks but injuries torpedoed his season – after Week 3, he missed five of the next six games. After opening the season with back-to-back 100-yard games, Parker had just two more in the regular season and couldn’t get healthy.

Parker’s frustration escalated to the point that he took a shot at offensive coordinator Bruce Arians. Parker suggested that one of the reasons for the struggling running attack was Arians prefers to run out of multiple tight-end sets rather than use a fullback as a lead blocker. The next day, coach Mike Tomlin sternly criticized Parker.

Parker then kept quiet and tried to get healthy. All he has really said about his recent surge play is “I’m at full speed and that’s all that really counts.” Parker has carried 51 times in the two playoff games. That’s his highest two-game total since the first two games of the season. Bet on Parker props at WagerWeb.com.

Arizona’s defense ranked 19th during the regular season but has been much improved in the playoffs.

“Whatever they bring to the table, they’re going to bring to the table. We definitely respect them, respect their defense. We just have to go out there and take care of business. They’ve got to come at us hard. It’s going to be a tough game,” said Parker.

The Steelers are 22-3 all-time in the regular season when Parker gets 100 yards. If he does that again Sunday, he will be 7-0 in the playoffs.

NFL Betting at WagerWeb.com

Lightning say they are keeping Lecavalier

Frankly, there is only one reason to watch or bet on the sorry Tampa Bay Lightning, and that reason is Vinny Lecavalier. But the franchise is going nowhere fast, and the new ownership, having already goofed on the Barry Melrose situation, is reportedly in some financial trouble already (although who isn’t?).

Thus despite Lecavalier being one of the NHL’s best players, Vinny has been rumored to be headed to either Montreal or Edmonton – the only player in Canada who is probably more popular than the Montreal native Lecavalier is Sidney Crosby. Lecavalier replaced Crosby in the Eastern Conference’s starting lineup in the All-Star Game and the Montreal fans cheered him loudly every time he touched the puck.

“I was very surprised, I didn’t know what to expect,” Lecavalier said of the reception he got from the hometown fans. “To get cheered on like that on the ice — last time I was here I got booed, this time I got cheered, so I really appreciate it. It’s really special everything [the fans] have done.”

According to a report out of Canada, a deal that would send Lecavalier (21 goals, 23 assists) to Edmonton for three players, two prospects and three draft picks - including two first-rounders - was to be completed on Monday. But the Lightning GM quashed that.

“It’s just a pipe dream that people think we’re going to trade him,” Brian Lawton said. “We’re excited about the way our team is playing and I don’t think it’s fair to continue to talk about these things. I’ve said he’s not going to be traded, and he hasn’t been traded. Somebody just asked me if he’s going to be traded on Monday. No, he won’t.

“Not Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or any other day for that matter. … He loves Tampa Bay, and that’s why he made the commitment he did (by signing an 11-year, $85-million contract extension).”

Lecavalier, 28, said during All-Star Weekend that he was assured by Tampa Bay management the team was not planning on trading him. He also stated that should a deal materialize, the Lightning would discuss the possibility with him first. Frankly, the franchise would be in serious trouble in the Tampa Bay area if it dealt the team’s most popular player. It’s believed that the Bolts will keep Lecavalier and try to move fellow All-Star Martin St. Louis, but he has a no-trade clause and would have to accept any move the Lightning make. And he’s overpaid.

The Bolts actually entered the All-Star break playing better, winning two straight and five of seven to climb into 12th place in the Eastern Conference with 42 points (16-21-10).

Tampa Bay is back in action Tuesday against those Canadiens – bet on the game at WagerWeb.com.

NHL Betting at WagerWeb.com

Expect Bucks to sink without Redd

Entering Monday, the Milwaukee Bucks hold the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, which is probably a bit of an overachievement for this team.

Well, you probably want to hop off that Milwaukee playoff bandwagon as well as your betting patterns on them at WagerWeb.com as the Bucks’ best player, shooting guard Michael Redd, is done for the season.

Redd, who was part of the U.S. Olympic team, tore his ACL and MCL on Saturday night against Sacramento. Redd, who missed 14 games earlier this season with an ankle injury, was averaging 21.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 36.4 minutes per game but had improved his scoring average in January to 25.0 points on 51.3 percent shooting before Saturday.
“We’re about to find out what we’re made of,” coach Scott Skiles said.
And the team begins to learn what it is made of Monday night against the surging Timberwolves. Milwaukee is a 4-point favorite on WagerWeb.com.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ramon Sessions and Luke Ridnour often played well together during Redd’s earlier absence and that combination will be seen again. Rookie forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute will defend some of the high-scoring shooting guards in the league. Redd’s injury might mean more playing time for Tyronn Lue and maybe even Damon Jones. All those guys combined aren’t Michael Redd.

Bucks General Manager John Hammond says he has no plans to bring in another player at the moment, but it’s an option. A trade is possible, too, but the Bucks have nothing in the works. There had been some rumors that Redd himself was on the block, possibly to Cleveland.
The Bucks went 5-9 without Redd in November. Charlie Bell filled in at the time, but he’s been out since Jan. 19 with a bad ankle. Meanwhile, the Bucks hope center Andrew Bogut can return tonight when they host Minnesota. Bogut has missed six games with back spasms.

NBA Betting at WagerWeb.com

Monday NBA: Rockets (28-17) at Knicks (18-25)

The Houston Rockets could have their Big 3 back on the court together on Monday night for the first time in weeks when they face the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

Houston is currently a 1-point favorite on WagerWeb.com.

Tracy McGrady and Ron Artest both returned to the court Sunday after lengthy stays on the sideline because of injury. However, All-Star center Yao Ming didn’t play because of a sore knee. Houston looked good in Detroit, however, winning 108-105. Luis Scola started for Yao and put up 21 points on 9-for-11 shooting as Houston had six players in double figures.

Yao is officially a game-time decision Monday, although he said his knee was “close” to being healthy enough to play Sunday. Houston coach Rick Adelman said, “He was hoping to play, but it’s still a little bit sore and it’s bothering him. So, there’s no reason to push him at this point. “We’ll see how he feels (Monday).”

McGrady has missed a combined 16 games this season, while Artest has sat out 13. Houston is 15-7 with the three starters playing this season, but they haven’t all played together since Jan. 2.

Houston has used 15 different starting lineups in the first 45 games because of all its injuries. The Rockets have owned the Knicks for a few years, winning eight in a row in the series.

New York might be about to undergo its own lineup change as second-year player Wilson Chandler is struggling. In the previous four games, Chandler has averaged 4 points, shooting 8 of 25 with 9 turnovers. The Knicks have fallen behind early in their previous three games - 15 in the first quarter to Memphis on Friday and 16 to Philly Saturday. Thus coach Mike D’Antoni make go back to starting Al Harrington and bringing Chandler off the bench. New York will get back rookie Danilo Gallinari tonight after the rookie sat out vs. the Sixers to rest his back.
The Rockets have won five in a row at Madison Square Garden, where they haven’t lost since Feb 25, 2003. However, the Knicks enter Monday with three wins in their last four games, and are 5-1 in their past six at home. David Lee has been great, averaging 21.3 points and 13.3 rebounds over the last three games.
WagerWeb.com Game Trends

* Rockets are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
* Rockets are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. Eastern Conference.
* Rockets are 11-3 ATS in their last 14 games when their starting 5 players combine for more than 160 minutes of the previous day.
* Rockets are 16-7 ATS in their last 23 games playing on 0 days rest.
* Rockets are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games as a favorite.
* Rockets are 5-16 ATS in their last 21 games following a ATS win.
* Rockets are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games following a S.U. win.
* Rockets are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a losing S.U. record.
* Rockets are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games as a road favorite.
* Knicks are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
* Knicks are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
* Knicks are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games playing on 1 days rest.
* Knicks are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 home games.
* Knicks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
* Knicks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
* Knicks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Knicks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS win.
* Knicks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. Western Conference.
* Knicks are 13-5 ATS in their last 18 games as an underdog.
* Knicks are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games following a S.U. loss.
* Knicks are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games as a home underdog.
* Knicks are 9-27 ATS in their last 36 Monday games.
* Knicks are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games as a home underdog of 0.5-4.5.

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