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06/06/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Celtics aren't used to being on the wrong side of history but after losing Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday, the C's will have to overcome one of the most daunting streaks in league annals if they hope to win a record 18th championship.
The Los Angeles Lakers are nearly unbeatable when winning Game 1 of a playoff series, holding a 59-7 mark in such scenarios. Even more staggering, their head coach Phil Jackson, has never lost a postseason set when his team takes Game 1, holding a mind-blowing 47-0 mark.
The Celtics hope to take the first step in halting that impressive run when Game 2 of the finals tips off tonight from Staples Center in Los Angeles, where the Lakers have won 12 straight playoff games.
Kobe Bryant's 30-point, seven-rebound, six- assist performance was a near afterthought to his strong defensive effort as the Lakers suffocated the Celtics, 102-89, in Game 1.
"We just want to win the series," Bryant said. "We have to be ready for their adjustments in Game 2."
Bryant hounded Boston point guard Rajon Rondo and his highlight-reel block of Tony Allen in the third quarter was part of a spurt that pushed Los Angeles' edge as high as 20 by the end of that frame.
"You don't want to overcommit too much, but it's a full-time job because he's very smart," Bryant said of guarding Rondo, who was spectacular against Orlando in the Eastern Conference finals. "He gets after it quite a bit. It takes a great deal of energy and effort to key in on him."
Paul Pierce led Boston with 24 points, Kevin Garnett added 16 and Rondo registered 13 points and eight assists. Pierce passed Tom Heinsohn for seventh on the Celtics' all-time playoff scoring list in defeat.
"I thought they were by far the more physical team, they were more aggressive. I thought they attacked us the entire night," said Boston head coach Doc Rivers. "Our defense was horrible."
Pau Gasol added 23 points and 14 rebounds, Ron Artest chipped in with 15 points and Andrew Bynum, a question mark entering this series, not only started but was effective with 10 points and six rebounds while playing over 28 minutes. Bynum had fluid drained from his right knee earlier in the week.
"I'm going to play no matter what," Bynum said. "I've made that decision already. It's important for me especially to go out and get easy buckets for us and just protect our rotation and really understand how I can hurt this team going out and getting easy buckets. Defensively taking up space, clogging the lane and being able to help out like that."
The Celtics will need to find a way to deal with Bryant on both ends of the floor if they hope to get back in the set. Rondo especially will have to find a way to combat Bryant's length.
"He's a good defensive player," Rondo said. " We all knew that. He did a great job on me. A lot of what they do on both ends keys off Kobe."
Boston must also deal with the impending loss of lead assistant Tom Thibodeau, who accepted a three-year deal to coach the Chicago Bulls on Saturday. The Chicago Tribune reported that the hire will be made official following the conclusion of the finals.
"It won't have an impact," Rivers said. "Right now we're focused on basketball. I can't confirm it. I hope it's true, but we're not going to comment on it, I can tell you that. We're focused on the NBA Finals. There's two teams. There's the Lakers and the Celtics, and that's what we're going to keep the focus on."
The 2010 NBA Finals marks the Lakers' 31st trip to the championship series and Boston's 21st appearance with 12 of those overlapping in clashes between the NBA's two most storied franchises.
Their finals history dates all the way back to the 1958-59 season when the Lakers still called Minneapolis home. Boston and the game's ultimate winner, Bill Russell, dominated the early years of the rivalry. The Red Auerbach-era Celtics took the Lakers all seven times they met in the finals, although the Jerry West, Elgin Baylor fueled LA clubs did manage to take Boston to seven games on three different occasions.
The rivalry lay dormant for 15 years until Larry Bird and Magic Johnson "saved" the NBA by bringing their own storied college rivalry to the pros. Bird avenged his loss at Indiana State to Magic's Michigan State Spartans in the 1979 NCAA Finals when the Celtics got past the Lakers in seven games to win the 1983-84 NBA title.
Johnson and his Lakers responded the next season as LA finally beat Boston in the finals for the first time. Magic also won the rubber match two years later before the rivalry went cold again, this time for 20 years as the Celtics struggled mightily in the post-Bird era.
Boston basketball chief Danny Ainge re-ignited things by acquiring both Garnett and Ray Allen before the 2007-08 season. The two All-Stars teamed with Pierce to create the "Boston Three Party" and the Celtics were relevant again. A 17th Boston championship was the result as Garnett and his Celtics got the best of Bryant's Lakers.
A rematch could have been in the offing last season but a knee injury to Garnett derailed any hopes of a Celtics repeat. Instead, LA earned its 15th championship by taking Orlando in five games.
The Lakers and Celtics have combined to win 32 of the NBA's 63 titles coming into this series.
Game 3 of this best-of-seven series is scheduled for Tuesday in Boston.
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The team will try to crack its 10-game losing skid when the Boston Red Sox
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<< Mets vie for more home success, sweep of Marlins
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Left-handed Japanese import Hisanori Takahashi can atone
for a poor last start when the New York Mets go for a sweep of a three-game
home series with the visiting Florida Marlins today at Citi Field.
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(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In a pivotal American League East battle, the Toronto Blue
Jays will try to complete a sweep of the New York Yankees in today's final
matchup of a three-game set at the Rogers Centre.
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<< Katsumasa Miyamoto wins Japan's Tour Championship
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Giants' Lincecum aim to curtail slide in Pittsburgh >>
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Lincecum can snap a rare two-start skid when the San Francisco Giants close
out a three-game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates today at PNC Park.
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Indians attempt to maintain mastery of slumping White Sox >>
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long dominance of the Chicago White Sox when the two American League Central
foes conclude a three-game series this afternoon at U.S. Cellular Field.
The Indians ha
Cubs, Astros ready for rubber match between Central foes >>
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on offense and claim a needed series win over the Houston Astros when the
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Bannister strives to pitch Royals to series win over Tigers >>
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After a slow star
Sportsbook betting odds favor Europe in Ryder Cup
September 19, – Despite holding a decided edge in the all-time series, with 24 wins, 2 ties and 10 losses, Team USA is the underdog again heading into the Ryder Cup in Kidare, Ireland this weekend, according to MySportsbook.com. The Europeans have captured four of the past five editions, including their largest victory ever, an 18 ½ to 9 ½ thumping in Michigan in 2004. Current Ryder Cup betting odds favor the Europeans to continue their winning ways; they are a 4-5 bet to take the title, compared to 6-5 for the Americans.
Despite being knocked out in the first round of World Match play by Shaun Micheel, Tiger Woods is predicted to lead the US charge and be their highest point scorer for the week, with odds listed at 9-4 that he outpoints all other American players, including Jim Furyk, Phil Mickelson and Chris DiMarco to name a few. Team USA has four relatively unknown players on the roster but all four are 2007 tournament winners and have posted some of season’s best performances, each earning over $1.5 million on the PGA TOUR. They include Zach Johnson, Vaughan Taylor, JJ Henry and Brett Wetterich.
The experienced European squad includes the likes of Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, Jose Maria Olazabal and Darren Clarke, who’s emotions will be tested after the passing of his wife to a battle with cancer. Donald and Garcia are in particularly good form and each is a 5-1 bet to lead the European squad in the points race. Donald has proven he can go head to head with Woods at a major event after a run for the $1.2 million purse at the PGA Championship. Garcia’s Ryder Cup credentials prove he’s ready for battle too.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your golf sportsbook needs.
Ryder Cup Odds| Europe Tie USA |
4-5 10-1 6-5 |
| Tiger Woods Jim Furyk Phil Mickelson Chris DiMarco David Toms Stewart Cink Chad Campbell Scott Verplank Zach Johnson Vaughan Taylor JJ Henry Brett Wetterich |
9-4 4-1 5-1 7-1 8-1 12-1 15-1 15-1 25-1 30-1 30-1 50-1 |
| Sergio Garcia Luke Donald Padraig Harrington Colin Montgomerie Darren Clarke David Howell Lee Westwood Paul Casey Henrik Stenson Jose Maria Olazabal Paul McGinley Robert Karlsson |
5-1 5-1 6-1 13-2 8-1 9-1 9-1 11-1 12-1 12-1 20-1 25-1 |
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com
MySportsbook.com Releases World Series Championship Lines
New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox early favorites to win 2008 World Series
The Major League Baseball season starts this weekend and MySportsbook.com, a leading online sportsbook for over 8 years, is the first to offer baseball sports betting lines on who will win the 2007 World Series.
"The World Series is the biggest baseball event in the sports betting world and MySportsbook.com is excited that we are first to market with betting lines on every team," says Tim Dalton, Marketing Director, MySportsbook.com. "We are getting things ready for a great baseball season and our members are looking forward to our Player Payback Bonuses, as well as Dime Lines, all season long."
Going in to this weekend, MySportsbook.com's favorites to win the World Series are the New York Yankees at 7-2 and last year’s winners the Chicago White Sox at 9-2.
"These betting lines are ripe for the picking," Dalton added, "baseball fans know that the season is long and many factors, including players staying healthy, will affect these Future odds as the baseball season progresses. Betting on your favorite team in the beginning of the season could prove quite lucrative. We are seeing examples of this right now in the NCAA College Basketball Tournament with a lucky few that placed pre-season bets on George Mason to win it all. Anything can happen."
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About www.MySportsbook.com
MySportsbook.com is the foremost online sportsbook offering Internet wagering to its worldwide customers. Fully licensed and regulated in St. John’s, Antigua since 1997, MySportsbook.com offers a complete range of online casino games, sports betting lines, poker tournaments and horse racing offtrack betting daily through its portfolio of companies and managed services. With over 7 years of experience, MySportsbook.com has become one of the most respected companies in the gaming industry by providing unparalleled 24/7 customer support and timely payouts. MySportsbook.com is part of the SportingBet PLC group of companies that is publicly-traded on the London Stock Exchange ( LSE ) under the symbol SBT.L. MySportsbook.com provides a secure environment for sports and casino wagering and has been featured in numerous media outlets, including MAXIM Magazine, Cigar Aficionado, and CNN’s Paula Zahn Now among others.
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