New Jersey Nets 2010 Draft Preview
Basketball Betting Lines
06/21/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After a disastrous 12-win season the New Jersey Nets have undergone a makeover, starting with billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov and new head coach Avery Johnson.
Prokhorov is hell-bent on turning around this thing quickly and it may be easier than people think. No, the Nets probably aren't going to land LeBron James but they do possess a promising young core of players, including point guard Devin Harris (27 years old) and center Brook Lopez.
For Harris and Lopez to be most effective, the Nets needs more shooters on the floor with them but the team also needs defense and rebounding. New Jersey fell from first to third in the lottery, giving it the first real decision in the draft.
Kentucky center DeMarcus Cousins probably has a bigger upside than either Georgia Tech power forward Derrick Favors or Syracuse wingman Wesley Johnson, but the Nets already have an All-Star type center in Lopez so look for them to go with Favors, a prototypical four in the mold of Kenyon Martin.
At No. 27, Lance Stephenson, a tough, athletic shooting guard from Cincinnati with an NBA-ready body has the power and quickness that could cause a lot of trouble on the blocks in a few years.
Players under contract: G Keyon Dooling; G Devin Harris; G Courtney Lee; C Brook Lopez; G-F Terrence Williams; F Yi Jianlian
Free Agents: C Tony Battie (Unrestricted); F-C Josh Boone (Restricted); F-G Chris Douglas-Roberts (Team option); F-G Trenton Hassell (Unrestricted); F Jarvis Hayes (Unrestricted); F Kris Humphries (Player option); G Chris Quinn (Unrestricted); F-G Bobby Simmons (Unrestricted)
Draft picks: 1st round (3rd overall, 27th overall); 2nd round (31st overall)
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - You name it and the Minnesota Timberwolves likely need it. Kurt Rambis' Wolves are among the very worst in the NBA at both ends of the floor. Outside of Al Jefferson and Kevin Love up front and a solid developmental point
<< Milwaukee Bucks 2010 Draft Preview
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Bucks hit a home run with the 10th overall pick in
last year's draft, taking dynamic point guard Brandon Jennings.
Jennings teamed with the improving Andrew Bogut and veteran John Salmons to
get Milwaukee over the hum
<< Zenyatta continues to lead national poll
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Undefeated mare Zenyatta remains atop the NTRA
Thoroughbred Poll for the week ending June 20. The six-year-old champion has
never lost in 17 career starts.
Zenyatta, who won the Vanity Handicap on June 1
<< Greece faces huge challenge against Argentina
Polokwane, South Africa (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Greece was impressive in the final
57 minutes of its victory over Nigeria, scoring twice to overturn a deficit in
its first-ever FIFA World Cup victory.
Dimitris Salpigidis notched Greece's first-e
<< Miami Heat 2010 Draft Preview
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Miami Heat have just four players under contract right
now but their plans are clear.
Pat Riley hopes to re-sign All-Star guard Dwyane Wade and bring in another
top-tier free agent to team with his superstar, with most
Springfield, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Missouri State has extended the contract of men's head basketball coach Cuonzo Martin. The deal was approved by the University Board of Governors on Friday. Martin will earn a base salary of $140,000
New York Knicks 2010 Draft Preview >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Well, this is it.
Donnie Walsh has waited patiently for two years, creating roster flexibility
with the intent of convincing Cleveland superstar LeBron James to take up
residence in the Big Apple.
The Knicks' cupboard i
Harman and Clemson handle Arizona State >>
Omaha, NE (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Casey Harman worked six-plus solid innings and
five different players drove in a run, as Clemson knocked off Arizona State,
6-3, in first round action at the College World Series in Omaha.
Clemson tallied t
Mauer still leads AL All-Star balloting >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer remained the
top vote-getter among American League players in the latest fan balloting
results for this year's All-Star Game, which will be played July 13 at Angel
Stadium
In the FCS Huddle: App State QBs under microscope >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It is hard to imagine that there are bigger
shoes to fill in the FCS than what Appalachian State's starting quarterback
faces in replacing Armanti Edwards this season.
What Jamal Jackson and DeAndre Presle
MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.
Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.
According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).
Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.
''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.
Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.
''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''
Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.
”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.
For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.