Cavs, Bucks square off in Milwaukee

Basketball Betting Lines

02/20/2009 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cleveland Cavaliers could have a pair of key players back in the lineup when the Eastern Conference front-runners visit the Bradley Center for tonight's Central Division showdown with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Guard Delonte West is expected to play for the first time since he fractured his right wrist in a January 15 loss at Chicago. The fifth-year pro, who is averaging 12.3 points and 3.5 assists this season, has missed the team's last 15 contests.

Cleveland is also hopeful that veteran center Ben Wallace will be back in action tonight. The four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year sat out Wednesday's 93-76 victory at Toronto while a lacerated right arm he suffered while playing a street football game over the recent All-Star break.

The Cavs still had LeBron James in uniform against the Raptors, and the superstar forward delivered 20 points, nine rebounds and nine assists to lead Cleveland to its 10th win in its last 13 games. Zydrunas Ilgauskas also had a big night for Cleveland, posting a game-high 22 points along with six rebounds.

All-Star Mo Williams added 17 points for the Cavaliers, who shot a sizzling 58 percent from the floor on the night, while Anderson Varejao pulled down a season-best 14 rebounds.

The Bucks had endured their share of injuries as well this season, having lost sharpshooter Michael Redd to a season-ending ACL tear last month and center Andrew Bogut (back) and guard Luke Ridnour (broken thumb) out for indefinite periods. Despite those significant personnel losses, Milwaukee currently holds the eighth seed in the East with a 27-30 record and had won five times in a seven-game span before losing at home to rival Chicago on Wednesday.

Richard Jefferson poured in 32 points for Milwaukee in the team's 113-104 setback to the Bulls, with Charlie Villanueva posting a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds.

The Bucks had won three in a row prior to Wednesday's loss and were coming off a key 92-86 road victory over Detroit on Tuesday.

Milwaukee, which is a solid 16-10 at the Bradley Center this season, has lost both its previous clashes with Cleveland in 2008-09. The Cavaliers have topped the Bucks in 10 of the last 13 encounters between the foes.

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2007 NFL Football Betting Preview


“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.

New York Giants betting lines

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.

Dallas Cowboys betting lines

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.

Oakland Raiders betting lines

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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