Heat visit Bobcats in key Eastern Conference showdown
Basketball Betting Lines
03/09/2010 -
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dwyane Wade is doing everything he can to keep the Miami Heat in playoff contention. But, first he has to figure out a way to beat the
Charlotte Bobcats when the two teams collide Tuesday in the Tar Heel State.
The Bobcats have won the first two meetings with Miami this season and eight
of the previous 12 matchups between the clubs. The Heat have also lost five of
their last six trips to the Queen City.
Wade and the Heat are currently seventh in the Eastern Conference standings,
just a half-game in front of Chicago, and have ripped off three straight wins,
including a 100-94 triumph versus Atlanta on Saturday in the finale of a
perfect three-game homestand. Wade recorded a game-high 38 points and had 10
assists for Miami, which has won three straight following a four-game slide.
He has notched three consecutive double-doubles, one shy of his career-high.
Michael Beasley provided a big lift with 14 of his 22 points in the fourth
quarter and tallied the final seven points of an 8-0 run that put the Heat in
front, 98-92, with 46.8 seconds to play in the game.
"(Wade) just punched me in the chest and was yelling, 'I need you,'" Beasley
said. "No more feeling sorry for myself. I just have to play. I definitely
needed this game."
The Heat will try to snap a two-game slide on the road Tuesday and are 15-17
away from south Florida in 2009-10. In other team news, guard Rafer Alston has
been suspended indefinitely from the team, while Jermaine O'Neal (knee) and
Dorell Wright (knee) are both questionable against the Bobcats.
Charlotte will try to close out a perfect three-game homestand Tuesday and has
won two straight and three of its last five games. In a 101-90 victory versus
the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, D.J. Augustin scored 19 points off the
bench and Gerald Wallace provided 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Bobcats,
who are just a half-game behind the Bulls for the eighth and final postseason
berth in the East.
Boris Diaw compiled 14 points and 12 boards, while Stephen Jackson and Theo
Ratliff chipped in 12 and 11 points, respectively, in the win.
"Gerald, Boris and D.J. (made the difference in the fourth quarter). We were
struggling but I thought those guys did a nice job," said Bobcats coach Larry
Brown, whose squad is giving up an average of 94.2 points per game, which is
the second-lowest opponent average in the NBA. "We defended great. Their zone
made us shoot a lot of jumpers, a lot of three-point shots, but when we
started to get the ball in the middle to Boris, he broke the zone down."
Augustin has scored in double figures in each of his last three games,
averaging 14.3 points on .533 shooting in that time. The Bobcats enter
tonight's game with a 22-8 home record, leaving them one game shy of matching
the franchise record of 23 home wins in a season set last season. Charlotte's
22-8 home record is the fourth best in the East.
Bobcats newcomer Tyrus Thomas is averaging 12.7 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.6
blocks over his first nine games with the team. He had just five points
against the Warriors.
<< IUPUI and Oakland collide for Summit League title
Sioux Falls, SD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The IUPUI Jaguars and the Oakland Golden
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Tournament. The prize for the winner is an automatic bid to the NCAA
Tournament.
IUPUI,
<< Bulldogs battle Raiders for Horizon League crown
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - For the fifth straight season the 12th-
ranked Butler Bulldogs will take part in the Horizon League Tournament
Championship Game when they host the Wright State Raiders this evening at the
Hinkle Fieldhouse.
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2010 Sun Belt Conference Tournament, and they will compete for an automatic
bid to the "B
<< Surging Bucks host Allen, Celtics
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sweet-stroking veteran Ray Allen has already recorded his
20,000th career point and will add to that mark tonight, when the Boston
Celtics hit the road to Milwaukee for a showdown with the Bucks.
On Sunday, Allen hit a go-
<< Sixers, Pacers clash in Indy
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia 76ers finally got off the schneid with a
big win at Toronto this weekend, and hope that carries over into Tuesday's
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Philadelphia was able to snap
Bruins hope to bolster playoff chances vs. Maple Leafs >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Bruins will try to bolster their playoff hopes
when they visit the last-place Toronto Maple Leafs for tonight's clash between
Original Six clubs at Air Canada Centre.
The Bruins are currently holding onto the ei
2010 Big West Conference Tournament Preview >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 35th annual Big West Conference
Tournament will once again take place at the Anaheim Convention Center Arena
for a tenth straight season. The bottom four seeds of the eight-team field
will take part in fi
2010 Pac-10 Conference Tournament Preview >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nine team will converge on the Staples
Center in Los Angeles to compete for the Pac-10 Conference Tournament
championship beginning on Wednesday, March 10th.
The only member of the league that isn't compet
2010 Mountain West Conference Tournament Preview >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It is the usual suspects that are destined
to do the most damage in Las Vegas this week, as the members of the Mountain
West Conference descend on the Thomas & Mack Center for the 11th annual
conference t
2010 Southeastern Conference Tournament Preview >>
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roof in Nashville this week, as all 12 SEC teams will compete in the 51st
annual conference tournament. On the line is an automatic bid to the NCAA
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Kurt Warner to start, Matt Leinart to watch
Despite the debate that's swirling , Kurt Warner will remain the starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals, coach Dennis Green said today. The Arizona Cardinals are the +7 point underdog at online sportsbook MySportsbook.com for this Sunday's game.
Green's comment came in a statement released by the team following an ESPN report that Green decided that rookie Matt Leinart would replace Warner as starter for Sunday's game at Atlanta.
"Generally talking about the starting lineup is not something we do," Green told the AP. "However, given the speculation that was out there we want to make it clear. We're disappointed after last week, but we still expect to be a playoff football team and we fully expect Kurt Warner to be the quarterback that leads us. That has not changed."
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