Sixers shoot for season-high 5th straight win vs. Wolves

Basketball Betting Lines

02/09/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The last time Minnesota and Philadelphia got together the Sixers blew a 20-point lead en route to an overtime loss. The 76ers will try to maintain any sort of advantage tonight, when they try to extend their season high winning streak to five games versus the Timberwolves at the Wachovia Center.

The 108-103 overtime setback at the Target Center back on January 18 lifted Minnesota to a 5-2 mark in the past seven matchups in this series. The Sixers, however, have won two in a row and six of eight matchups between the teams in the City of Brotherly Love.

Philadelphia made it four straight wins with Saturday's 102-95 victory at Houston, as Andre Iguodala ended with 14 points, 10 rebounds and six assists and hit a big three-pointer down the stretch to lead the way. Thaddeus Young netted a team-high 17 points, while Willie Green and Elton Brand chipped in 15 and 13 points, respectively, for the Sixers, who will try to stop a two-game slide as the host Tuesday.

"We're in a good groove. Hopefully we can bottle it up," Sixers guard Lou Williams said.

Williams, who had nine points in the victory, is questionable for tonight's game due to a sinus infection. Veteran guard Allen Iverson is also questionable because one of his children is ill and has missed three consecutive games for the 76ers, who are 8-16 as the host and 12-9 since opening the campaign with a 7-22 mark.

Minnesota is also riding a four-game winning streak and has scored 100 or more points in each of those contests. In Saturday's 109-102 victory versus the Memphis Grizzlies in the Twin Cities, Ryan Gomes scored 26 points and Al Jefferson added 23 points and seven rebounds for the Timberwolves, who last won four in a row during a five-game streak from January 2-10, 2009. Ramon Sessions contributed 19 points off the bench.

"We showed a different side of us tonight," Jefferson said. "I think we really surprised ourselves."

Corey Brewer had 17 points in the victory.

The T'Wolves sport a 4-21 road mark this season and shot 55.6 percent in Saturday's win. It was their second-highest percentage of the season and the fourth straight game they've reached the 50 percent mark.

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2007 NFL Football Betting Preview


“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.

New York Giants betting lines

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.

Dallas Cowboys betting lines

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.

Oakland Raiders betting lines

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.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football wagering needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.