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02/12/2007 -
The Boston Celtics are in a record-breaking rut that has shaken their confidence and damaged the image of a once-proud franchise.
``You can feel it in the locker room, each loss definitely hurts,'' Paul Pierce said. ``These guys are going to keep playing hard. We just need to get it out of our head.''
Easier said than done, especially when you've lost a franchise-record 18 consecutive games. The latest loss came Sunday when Ricky Davis' jumper from the corner with 0.2 seconds remaining lifted the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 109-107 victory.
``It is tough, the guys played so hard and deserve to win,'' said Pierce, who scored 29 points. ``We did everything we could. Down the stretch, they made the last play.''
The Celtics' previous franchise low was 13 straight losses in 1993-94 and 1996-97. They've blown past that mark, and haven't won since beating Memphis on Jan. 5.
The Utah Jazz also lost 18 straight in 1982 and seven teams have lost 19 games in a row. The Celtics still have a ways to go to get to the NBA record of 24 straight losses by the Cleveland Cavaliers, a streak that spanned the end of the 1981-82 season and start of the 1982-83 season.
In other NBA games, it was: Chicago 116, Phoenix 103; Seattle 114, Sacramento 103; Cleveland 99, the Los Angeles Lakers 90; Miami 100, San Antonio 85; Indiana 94, the Los Angeles Clippers 80; Portland 94, Washington 73; Dallas 106, Philadelphia 89; and Atlanta 106, Golden State 105.
At Minneapolis, the Celtics led by 10 points in the first half and 107-105 with 1:17 to play after Pierce fed Al Jefferson for a dunk.
But Kevin Garnett tied it with two free throws, then got a steal on the defensive end to give the Wolves a chance to win it with 3.6 seconds left.
Rookie Randy Foye blew past Delonte West into the lane, forcing Pierce to leave Davis wide open on the wing to prevent an easy layup.
``Paul had to help. Paul had no choice,'' Boston coach Doc Rivers said. ``He is beating himself up in there, but he did the right thing. He had no choice but to help on that play.''
Davis, a former Celtic who spoke openly about not wanting to be the team that lets Boston snap its skid, had 18 of his 28 points in the third quarter.
``It was very important for us, pride-wise at least,'' Davis said for him and Mark Blount, also a former Celtic. ``It was a big game for us.''Bulls 116, Suns 103
Kirk Hinrich scored 14 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter, and Chicago snapped an eight-game losing streak in Phoenix and a three-game skid overall.
Chicago last beat the Suns on the road when the Michael Jordan-led Bulls did it on Nov. 20, 1996.
Phoenix played without Steve Nash, the league's two-time defending MVP, for the third consecutive game because of a sore right shoulder. The Suns also didn't have starter Boris Diaw because of back spasms.
The Suns were beaten by double digits for the first time this season.SuperSonics 114, Kings 103
Ray Allen scored 25 points and made a key 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter that helped Seattle win its second straight road game following a franchise-record 15-game skid away from home.
Sacramento cut a 22-point third-quarter deficit to two midway through the fourth quarter, but could never get over the hump.Cavaliers 99, Lakers 90
At Cleveland, Sasha Pavlovic scored 13 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and the Cavaliers shut down Kobe Bryant in the final minutes.
LeBron James had 18 points, eight rebounds and five assists, but he deferred to Pavlovic and others down the stretch.
Bryant scored 36 points to lead the Lakers, but didn't score again in the final 3:39 after making two free throws to tie it at 81.Heat 100, Spurs 85
At Miami, Dwyane Wade scored 18 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter and the Heat held San Antonio without a field goal for more than 7 minutes down the stretch.
Wade hit seven of 10 shots in the final period, had a couple of highlight-quality blocks against Tony Parker midway through the fourth, and added seven assists as Miami beat San Antonio for the second time since Feb. 1, 2002.
Manu Ginobili had 26 points for the Spurs, who fell to 2-4 on their eight-game road trip.Pacers 94, Clippers 80
At Indianapolis, Jermaine O'Neal scored 21 points and set an Indiana franchise record for career blocked shots as the Pacers snapped a three-game losing streak.
O'Neal had four blocked shots, giving him 1,113 for his career with the Pacers and breaking the franchise record of 1,111 by former Pacers center Rik Smits.
Cuttino Mobley had 23 points for Los Angeles.Trail Blazers 94, Wizards 73
At Washington, Jarrett Jack and LaMarcus Aldridge scored 18 points apiece and the Trail Blazers held Gilbert Arenas to nine points.
Arenas, who vowed to score 50 in retaliation for Portland coach Nate McMillan's involvement with Arenas being left off the U.S. national team last summer, shot 3-for-15 from the field, including 0-for-8 on 3-pointers.Mavericks 106, 76ers 89
Dirk Nowitzki had 24 points and 11 rebounds, and the Mavericks built on their NBA-best 18-6 road record.
Jason Terry hit consecutive jumpers in the fourth quarter to help the Mavs stave off a surprising Sixers rally that saw them slice a 30-point deficit to eight. Nowitzki also added back-to-back baskets that pushed the lead back to 14.Hawks 106, Warriors 105
Josh Smith scored 11 of his 29 points in Atlanta's big first quarter and finished with 10 rebounds, leading the Hawks to their fifth straight road victory.
Joe Johnson added 21 points and 11 assists as Atlanta snapped a four-game losing streak in Oakland and dealt the Warriors only their ninth loss in 27 home games.
Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
<< Thrashers-Oilers, Sums
Atlanta 1 0 0-1Edmonton 1 3 1-5First Period-1, Atlanta, Belanger 9, 5:15. 2, Edmonton, Smyth 28 (Horcoff, Sykora), 9:40 (pp). Penalties-McCarthy, Atl (hooking), 9:16; Stortini, Edm (roughing), 9:54; Larsen, Atl (interference), 12:37; Kovalchuk, Atl
<< Stuart comes home in trade
DETROIT (AP) -Brad Stuart isn't even thinking about heading back to his home province.The veteran of nine NHL seasons and a native of Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, played his first game with the Calgary Flames on Sunday night. The team acquired him
<< Flames-Red Wings, Sums
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<< Forsberg meets with Snider; future still uncertain
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -Peter Forsberg's future with the Philadelphia Flyers is still uncertain, even after a meeting Sunday with team chairman Ed Snider.Forsberg and Snider agreed to meet again to discuss the team captain's future with the franchise.For
Senators' Emery suspended 3 games for slashing >>
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VOORHEES, N.J. (AP) -All Peter Forsberg has to do is tell the Philadelphia Flyers that he wants to re-sign with them or ask to be dealt to a contender before the Feb. 27 trade deadline.So far, at least publicly, Forsberg has kept that decision to hi
Capitals G Kolzig out 3 weeks >>
WASHINGTON (AP) -Washington Capitals goaltender Olie Kolzig hurt his knee Monday and will miss at least three weeks.The veteran goaltender was injured during a drill at practice, a major blow to the Capitals' slim hopes of making a run at the playof
Let’s take a look at the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds and the betting line and figure out where they’ve been and where they are going to go.
MySportsbook.com put up the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds late on Sunday night with the Pittsburgh Steelers favored by 6.5 points and a total betting line at 47.5 points.
Since then, however, the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds have seen a good deal of movement and you’ll want to be on top of where they are likely to move to make sure you get the best line value for the big game.
Since opening, the Super Bowl 2009 betting lines went to Steelers -7 in the span of roughly 3 hours but were quickly bought back down just minutes later to 6.5 again.
After that is took about 5-6 more hours before the betting line went back to -7 where it has sat for a while now and is likely to remain. The opening betting total of 47.5 was bet down right after the line became available and went to 47 within minutes.
Roughly a day later it has been bet even further down to the 46.5 tally it currently is set at.
Roughly 60% of gamblers seem to be on the Cardinals here so the point spread will be bet down and a 7.5 would not last very long at all with many taking the early 6.5 in hopes of finding a potential middle in the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds.
If you like Arizona and see a 7.5, I’d take it as soon as possible because it’s unlikely to last. For Pittsburgh backers, the -7 might be the best you’ll be able to find but a 6.5 is definitely possible close to game time.
Regarding the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds for the total, most tracked gamblers are already on the over and with those who took the under 47.5 already securing a middle on the over 46.5, the only way I see it moving is back up to 47 so if you like the over, I’d recommend betting now.
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“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.
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.
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.
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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