76ers open homestand against Kings

Basketball Betting Lines

02/26/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia 76ers open a six-game homestand this evening when they welcome the Sacramento Kings to the Wachovia Center.

Philadelphia lost its second straight game on Saturday when it was pounded by the Milwaukee Bucks, 109-90, at the Bradley Center.

Andre Iguodala registered 22 points and Samuel Dalembert added 15 for the 76ers, who have lost five of their last six games. Willie Green scored 11 points and Andre Miller recorded 10 points and 11 assists.

The 76ers are 10-15 as the host this season and will receive visits from Phoenix, Memphis, New Jersey, Seattle and the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Kings, meanwhile, snapped a four-game road losing streak on Sunday without Ron Artest in the lineup.

Kevin Martin picked up the slack though and scored 35 points, grabbed five rebounds and had three steals as Sacramento downed Indiana, 110-93, at Conseco Fieldhouse.

A former Pacer, Artest was not with the team due to personal reasons. His status for tonight is unknown.

The former All-Star has been vilified by Indiana fans for his role in the famous brawl between the Pacers and Detroit Pistons fans two seasons ago and his subsequent trade request last year.

Mike Bibby added 28 points and six assists for the Kings, who snapped a two- game skid and won for just the second time in seven games.

Sacramento wraps a four-game road trip this evening and is 1-2 on the swing so far after dropping the first two tilts to Washington and New Jersey. The Kings are just 8-19 on the road this season. The club will return home to host Charlotte on Wednesday.

Philadelphia and Sacramento will meet for the second and final time this season. The Kings won the first matchup this year, 101-76, on December 27 behind 21 points and six assists by Bibby.

The Sixers swept the two-game series last season but has lost 10 of their last 12 meetings with the Kings.

Wwhitbox Basketball Betting News

<< Schmidt looks to help Dodgers win a championship
VERO BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Jason Schmidt passed up opportunities for a longer, more lucrative deal in the offseason to sign a three-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.He made such a decision based on his children.``My kids are my interest. I've

<< Garciaparra healthy, ready to go for Dodgers
VERO BEACH, Fla. (AP) -Nomar Garciaparra couldn't help but smile when asked about the apparent power shortage in the Los Angeles Dodgers' lineup.The question was reasonable, since the Dodgers ranked next-to-last in the NL with 153 homers last season

<< Damon rejoins Yankees
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -Yankees center fielder Johnny Damon rejoined the team Monday after a two-day excused absence to tend to a personal matter.Damon spent the weekend at home with his family in the Orlando area. He didn't discuss specifics, but said th

<< Niedermayer lifts Ducks over Avalanche
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Scott Niedermayer's goal with 3:23 left in the third period proved to be the game-winner, as the Ducks earned a 5-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. Niedermayer also had two assists, and Andy McDonald c

<< Martin guides Kings past Pacers; Artest misses game
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kevin Martin scored 35 points, grabbed five rebounds and had three steals as Sacramento downed Indiana, 110-93, at Conseco Fieldhouse. The Kings won despite toiling without the services of enigma

Knicks welcome Heat to Garden >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Knicks aim to make up ground in the playoff race this evening when they host the Miami Heat at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks come into tonight's game 10th overall in the East, two games out of a playoff s

Nuggets try to get on same page against Grizzlies >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Denver Nuggets try to put the brakes on a four- game losing streak this evening when they visit the Memphis Grizzlies at the FedExForum. Denver became Dallas' 19th straight victim at home on Saturday when they fell to

Spurs aim to extend winning streak against Raptors >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Antonio Spurs try to keep pace in the Southwest standings tonight when they host the Toronto Raptors at AT&T Center. San Antonio won its fifth straight game on Saturday, a 102-71 victory over Seattle, but despite t

New-look Thrashers head to Boston >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Atlanta Thrashers hope the recent additions to their lineup will translate to improved play and they'll test that theory tonight, when they visit the Boston Bruins at TD Banknorth Garden. The Thrashers are just 2-7-2 i

Habs, Leafs clash in Montreal >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - One of the best rivalries in sports resumes this evening, as the Montreal Canadiens open the doors of the Bell Centre for a battle with the Toronto Maple Leafs. This series between two of the Original Six franchises is alw

Horse Betting

(This is an update of a sportsbook for the May 4th issue of ESPN The Magazine).

The Kentucky Derby's post-position draw happened on Wednesday. And, as is always the case, shortly afterwards, a buzz raced around Churchill Downs. It was a low rumble at first, nothing that the squares in the mint julep crowd pick up right away. But by the time the sun set over the twin spires, the chatter was impossible to ignore. Everyone -- sharps, trainers, owners -- was talking about one thing: the wise guy horse, the pre-draw long shot us mopes didn't have on our radar until it was too late.

"You think you're hearing the scoop," says handicapper Lane Gold. "Then you get to the window, the odds are short, and you missed it."

Recognizing a wise-guy horse early is as hard as picking a Derby bonnet. That's because handicappers don't like hype (see ya, I Want Revenge). They want Thoroughbreds who look good losing prep races like the Santa Anita Derby. They eye horses who ate up the field after starting wide or made an easy transition from synthetic tracks to dirt. They look for ponies who showed muscle gain race to race and those who ran hard after several weeks' rest.

"A wise guy," says John Avello, a bookmaker at Wynn Las Vegas, "looks for a horse who can improve."

When I first wrote Horse Betting for The Mag, which I turned in a three weeks before Wednesday's draw, I predicted these three horses had wise guy potential:

CHOCOLATE CANDY (15-1 in mid-April, currently 20-1 according to Avello): His second-place finish at Santa Anita, following a seven-week layoff, proved two things: He can run after resting, and -- by losing a high-profile prep race -- he wouldn't be overhyped.

DESERT PARTY (15-1; 15-1): He was upset in the UAE Derby by a horse he had beaten twice. The public remembers his loss, but the wise guys his wins.

PIONEEROF THE NILE (8-1; 4-1): The big favorite at Santa Anita struggled to win, so he initially got less hype than Quality Road and I Want Revenge.

You may have noticed that the odds on Pioneerof the Nile have been cut in half, from 8-1 to 4-1. Which means the wise guys took a shine to him long before the post-position draw. But, to be honest, this is one of those years with four elite horses getting everyone's attention, squares and sharps alike.

"You're not gonna get a lot of chatter about a horse that isn't in that group, which includes Pioneer, I Want Revenge, Dunkirk and Friesan Fire," Avello told me Wednesday. "We don't have a group of horses behind those top four who look like real legit contenders."

Come Derby week, the final two elements in picking a wise guy horse are how he's working out and what gate he's coming out of.

(By the way, picking a Preakness favorite is a whole different bale of hay, partially based on how horses finish in the Derby. You can see my analysis of who has the best shot at Pimlico on Insider Sunday morning.)

Well, early in the week I Want Revenge, Pioneerof the Nile and Friesan Fire were working out better than anyone. Some thought Friesan Fire, currently 6-1, might have run too fast, burning a five-furlong run in :57 4/5. "When you are running that fast you have the sense that it took something out of him," says Gold. "The Derby is longer than any horse has run, and if they need that extra surge you worry they won't have it because they burned it in the workout."

But, Gold points out, Friesan Fire's trainer is Larry Jones, Two years ago his horse Hard Spun did a five-eighths workout in :57 3/5 and then went on to finish second, behind Street Sense, in the Derby. "Every trainer has different methods," says Gold. "And clearly he knows what he's doing."

Now, as for starting position, Gold says to remember this: Churchill Downs traditionally has 14 starting gates. For the Derby, it brings out auxiliary gates and between the original 14th gate and the new 15th gate, there is a little more space than there is between gates 1-14. "That 15 position will give you a precious second or two to sort out what's happening to your inside," says Gold. "Sixteen is also okay because you can follow the horse in front of you."

Dunkirk, one of the race favorites, is coming out of gate 15. In 16 is Baffert's Pioneerof the Nile. I Want Revenge drew 13, where Smarty Jones won from in 2004, and Friesan Fire picked the sixth position. "He doesn't have a lot of speed to the inside of him," says Gold. "So he will get a clear shot to be near the front."

All the jibber-jabber means this: Pioneerof the Nile has leapfrogged from 8-1 to being the second favorite, along with Dunkirk, behind I Want Revenge. Meanwhile, Friesan Fire, with a good trainer, a strong week of training and a decent post position, is still at 6-1. "By Saturday, it's possible he could go from fourth to the favorite," says Gold.

In other words, meet Friesan Fire, your 2009 wise guy horse.

"Now," says Avello, "it's time for action."

To visit this horse betting site go to MySportsbook.com for all your horse racing betting needs.