Points Warns End From Rotation

Basketball Betting Lines

Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - If you entered Wells Fargo Center on Monday night expecting great NBA basketball, you were setting yourself up for disappointment. Sure the Sixers have been one of the NBA's most improved teams this year but most of their big man rotation was wiped out by injury and illness coming in.

 

In fact I wondered if Flip Saunders, a solid coach in both Minnesota and Detroit before he ever arrived in D.C., might just walk off into the sunset at intermission with the Wiz behind 62-32.

 

It's not like Flip doesn't have any talent on hand. What he doesn't have, however, is a glue guy -- a player like Bruce Bowen.

 

Take Philadelphia. The Sixers have a storied history believe it or not. Glance up at that the rafters at WFC and you will see banners honoring Wilt Chamberlain's No. 13, Julius Erving's No. 6 and Billy Cunningham's 32.

 

But forget about Luke Jackson, the amazing power forward from the 1966-67 team that some still call the greatest of all time. And forget about Clint Richardson the defensive-minded guard from the Moses Malone-fueled Fo' Five Fo' '82-83 world championship team.

 

The Spurs have not and believe me I understand how Bowen exemplified the Gregg Popovich-era in the Alamo City. The 6-foot-7 swingman out of Cal State Fullerton earned a spot on the NBA's All-Defensive Team in eight of his nine seasons with the Spurs (was a second team selection in 2001, 2002 and 2003 before earning first team honors in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008).

 

But, understand those other four players were no one-trick ponies and could hurt you at both ends of the floor. Bowen was a non-entity for most of his career on offense.

 

Some romantics have already told me that Bowen's honor will send future players a message that professionalism, hard work and unselfishness are rewarded in San Antonio.

 

Larry Kenyon should be insulted and Tiago Splitter should be getting ready.

 

San Antonio evidently needs another marketing ploy -- one that insults the very fabric of this proud basketball powerhouse.

 

Oakland, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rudy Gay scored 23 points and the Memphis Grizzlies erased an 18-point point deficit in the fourth quarter to extend their winning streak to seven with a 91-90 comeback victory over the Warriors. Memphis trailed by double digits for much of the game before rallying for a 39-22 differential in the final frame.

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Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.

Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.

MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .

''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''

Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.

He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.

''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''

Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.

Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.

With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.

Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

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