07/02/2009 - Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Free agent forward Ron Artest is leaving the Houston Rockets to join the Los Angeles Lakers and will provide the team with more offensive firepower next season, as he'll join Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol on the defending NBA champions.
Artest announced on ESPN's Sportscenter in Los Angeles that he has reached a verbal agreement with the Lakers and will play for the mid-level exception. He cited the fact that Houston offered him only a one-year contract, while the Lakers jumped at the chance to give him a multi-year deal.
The mid-level exception is expected to be just below the $6 million mark and represents a pay cut after Artest made $7.4 million last season.
No deal can be officially announced until July 8, per league rules.
The Thursday news regarding Artest came on the same day another superstar had an introductory press conference. Ex-Laker Shaquille O'Neal met the media in Cleveland and said he wanted to "win a ring for The King" in reference to his new pairing with reigning MVP LeBron James.
Artest spent last season with the Rockets, helping Houston get to the conference semifinals for the first time since 1996-97. After spending three seasons in Sacramento, Artest averaged 17.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 69 regular season contests with Houston.
For his career, spanning 12 seasons, Artest has game averages of 16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists with Chicago, Indiana, Sacramento and Houston. He has also established himself as one of the top-flight defenders in the league.
In another twist, the man Artest would replace in the lineup -- Trevor Ariza -- reportedly reached a verbal agreement the Rockets. The Houston Chronicle reported that Ariza will receive a contract for the mid-level exception.
Ariza averaged 11.3 points per game in the postseason after posting 8.9 points per game in the regular season. His career scoring average is 6.9 points.
<< Lee homers twice as Cubs down Brewers
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Derrek Lee headlined a home run parade with two
long-balls -- a three-run shot and a grand slam -- for a career-high seven
RBI, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 9-5 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in the
beginni
<< Stockton and Gates lead Edmonton Open
Edmonton, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brady Stockton and Robert Gates both fired
rounds of seven-under 65 on Thursday to share the first-round lead of the
Edmonton Open.
Liam Kendregan and Jon Turcott both shot 66s in round one and ar
<< Mayfield a no-show at Daytona
Daytona Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sprint Cup Series driver and team owner
Jeremy Mayfield was not present at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday,
one day after a federal judge granted him a temporary injunction to race
again,
<< Diaz helps Braves slip past slumping Phils
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Matt Diaz belted a go-ahead RBI double in a
three-run eighth, as the Atlanta Braves recorded their first home sweep of the
Phillies since 2005 with a 5-2 victory at Turner Field.
Garret Anderson added a t
Kings reach agreement on four-year deal with Scuderi >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Kings have reached an
agreement on a four-year contract with former Penguins blueliner Rob Scuderi.
Scuderi was a key cog in helping Pittsburgh claim its third Stanley Cup title
in t
NASCAR Hall of Fame nominees announced >>
Charlotte, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - NASCAR on Thursday revealed the 25 nominees
for the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame induction class. Nominees included
pioneers, former champions and driver-turned-team owners of the sport.
A 21-member committe
Mariners end Yankees' seven-game win streak >>
Bronx, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Russell Branyan belted a two-run homer and the
Mariners pounded CC Sabathia early on the way to an 8-4 win, ending New
York's winning streak at seven contests.
Franklin Gutierrez had three hits, inclu
Abreu homers twice in Angels' win over O's >>
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Bobby Abreu hit a pair of homers, accounting
for four runs batted in, and John Lackey threw eight strong innings, as the
Angels beat Baltimore, 5-2, in the opener of a four-game series.
Chone Figgins had
Super Bowl XLIII is now set, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers will meet each other on February 1st in Tampa's Raymond James Stadium to battle it out for the coveted Lombardi Trophy. The game kicks off at 6:00pm ET on NBC with announcers Al Michaels and John Madden covering the on-field action. Super Bowl XLIII betting odds at online bookmaker MySportsbook.com have the Steelers listed as an early -6.5 against the spread favorite.Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds
Pittsburgh earned their passage to the big game by beating their division rival, the Baltimore Ravens, 23-14 in yesterday's AFC Championship Game. The Steelers jumped on Baltimore early, building a 13-0 first half lead, and never let up on their way to a fairly easy win. Although the Ravens did close to within two points in the fourth quarter, it never appeared as if they had enough offense to pull off the upset.
The Steelers dominating defense held Baltimore to a total of 198 yards while allowing them to convert just three third downs in 13 attempts. Pittsburgh also forced quarterback Joe Flacco into three interceptions, one of which safety Troy Polamalu returned fourty yards for a touchdown.
The Cardinals, by far the playoff team with the longest odds to reach Super Bowl XLIII, did so yesterday with a 32-25 upset of the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship. Arizona charged out of the gates and built a 24-6 halftime lead that had the Eagles venerable defense reeling. Quarterback Kurt Warner and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald did most of the damage, connecting on three first half touchdowns.
Arizona, however, could not sustain their momentum and the Eagles took a 25-24 with 10:45 left to play in the fourth. The Cardinals, with the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance hanging in the balance, mounted a fourteen play, 72 yard touchdown drive that consumed 7:52 off the clock. Warner hit running back Tim Hightower on a short screen for the go-ahead, game clinching score that will forever live in Cardinal infamy.
MySportsbook.com's Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds:
Pittsburgh Steelers -6.5 (-110), Over 46.5 (-110), -260 (Money line)
Arizona Cardinals +6.5 (-110), Under 46.5 (-110), +220 (Money line)
Matt Foust won both of his conference championship plays yesterday and he is ready to serve up plenty of Super Bowl action. Each individual play costs $15.00, however, MySportsbook.com recommends purchasing Matt's NFL Playoff Package which includes all of Matt's Super Bowl props and picks from just $45.00.
Get free Super Bowl XLIII Betting from top rated online sportsbook MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online Super Bowl betting with credit cards
Is there such a thing as a trap game in the NFL?
I once asked that question to Pete Korner, who at the time was office manager and a senior linesmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants.
Korner almost ripped my head off. There is no such thing as a trap game, he loudly berated me. It’s a myth. The numbers are made using power ratings, he said.
There are trap games, though. They just might not be what you think. The perception is of a good team, say Philadelphia, laying a small number against New Orleans.
Using the highly-respected power ranking from The Gold Sheet, you’d find the Eagles with a power rating of 4 and the Saints at 8. When you factor the game being played in New Orleans, you could see why the line opened so short at less than a field goal.
For some, this makes it enticing to take the Eagles. That’s not a real trap game, though.
A real trap game, says professional gambler Dave Malinsky, is thinking you’re getting value betting a bad team, which brings us to the Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos matchup.
The Raiders are +15 in this long-standing division rivalry. Denver is on a short week having dispatched Baltimore Monday. However, the Raiders haven’t covered the spread their last 10 games.
Many bettors don’t trust the Raiders to give a full effort. Few think much of Art Shell and his Oakland’s coaching staff.
So oddsmakers have to do something to make Oakland attractive if they hope to get equal action.
Now Malinsky is a value shopper. But he won’t touch the Raiders even getting more than two touchdowns.
“I try to eliminate the undisciplined, unfocused teams because they’re the ones most likely to suffer the bad beats,” he said.
Near the top of Malinsky’s list of stay-away teams is the Miami Dolphins, who have yet to cover a spread this season.
“Whatever you think of Nick Saban, you have to look at the penalties and turnovers,” Malinsky said.
It’s easy to point out the Dolphins failed to get the money this past week against New England because Olindo Mare missed a field goal and had another field goal blocked. But even though the Dolphins outgained the Patriots, 283-213, they committed eight penalties.
Bad teams not only cost themselves victories, but pointspread covers as well. The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers are two more examples.
The Cardinals couldn’t have been in a better position this past Sunday, up 14-0 at home against a mediocre Kansas City Chiefs squad. But they couldn’t hold it. The Packers got a push against St. Louis, but also could have won losing by three when Brett Favre fumbled at the St. Louis 11-yard line with 44 seconds left.
“The Packers were in a position to beat Philadelphia, too,” Malinsky said. “But they couldn’t even cover double digits.
“These teams just make mistakes and it costs you … they always will look good from a value standpoint. They really will. But that’s the trap.”
Houston and Tennessee rank among the six-worst teams. Malinsky wouldn’t be afraid to take either of these teams, however, if the price were high enough.
The Texans are bad, Malinsky said, but they have some discipline. The Titans showed they could not only come up with an outstanding game plan, but execute it as well, losing by one to the Colts on the road as an 18 ?-point underdog this past Sunday.
“Jeff Fisher is a worker,” Malinsky said of the Titans coach. “I’m not sure how hard Art Shell wants to work when he gets out of bed.”
Fisher, though, could be out as Tennessee coach after this season. Is he still worth backing in the right spot, with the right price, as a lame duck coach?
“It’s in his nature to keep working hard and not worry about any possible lame duck status,” Malinsky said. “He’s coaching for his resume.”
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines.
Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting