Yao can see the end of the line
Basketball Betting Lines
07/28/2010 -
Philadelphia, PA - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Your average human being doesn't stand
7-foot-6 and weigh 310 pounds.
In basketball, size among the skilled is the holy grail -- the only thing you
can't teach. But, like anything else, there are pros and cons to having a
talented big man that looks down at the rest of us.
Nearly 15 months ago, the Houston Rockets were battling the Los Angeles Lakers
in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals. Yao Ming dominated, scoring 28
points, including eight in the final four minutes, to lift Houston to an
impressive 100-92 win.
Of course the Lakers responded, but their path to what would be the first of
back-to-back championships was made much easier when Yao was diagnosed with a
sprained ankle after Game 3 of that set.
A follow-up test revealed a hairline fracture in the big man's left foot, and
he was ruled out for the remainder of the playoffs. At the time, Yao
downplayed the injury and a conservative treatment plan was drawn up, calling
for him to cease all physical training and to use a walking boot in order to
immobilize the foot and promote healing.
The prognosis had the foot healing over the summer but the fracture failed to
respond and Yao underwent surgery, putting the playing career of the Rockets'
cornerstone in jeopardy.
For now, the Rockets are expecting Yao to be back for the 2010-11 campaign but
the seven-time All-Star caused quite a stir in his native China on Tuesday,
intimating he would in fact have to consider retiring if the foot fails to
recover.
"If the foot injury does not heal next season I might choose to call it
quits," Yao, who is entering the last year of his contract, said in an
interview with Chinese state media.
The big man had already indicated that his days playing for the Chinese
National team were probably behind him.
"The foot injury will not allow me to play so many games anymore," Yao said.
"Like I said before, I will quit the national team and the sport one day. It's
what happens to every athlete."
It's Yao's prodigious size that makes leg injuries a far more serious subject,
Other talented big men like Sam Bowie, Bill Walton and another former Rocket,
Ralph Sampson, had careers cut short by a seemingly never-ending series of leg
injuries. Meanwhile, current Portland pivot Greg Oden may be heading in a
similar direction.
Yao, an eight-year NBA veteran, has now had three different fractures of the
left foot and a hairline crack of the right leg. He has had five-consecutive
seasons interrupted or ended by some kind of injury.
The Shanghai native did return to the floor in late May and has been going
through full-contact workouts at Toyota Center, buoying the Rockets' spirits.
Meanwhile, Houston general manager Daryl Morey continues to indicate Yao is
indeed on pace to start training camp healthy and on time.
"Yao is on schedule to be available the first day of training camp," Morey
told a Houston newspaper on Tuesday. "He's continued to make positive strides
in his rehab work and all medical reports so far have been positive. He's been
working consistently four to five days a week, and we expect him to be there
when we open camp on September 25th."
A healthy Yao instantly turns the Rockets back into a Western Conference
contender. In fact, a starting lineup featuring the Chinese star along with
Luis Scola, Trevor Ariza, Aaron Brooks and Kevin Martin projects as one of the
NBA's best.
But, projections are just that -- an estimate of future possibilities based on
current events that remain fluid.
And no projection to my knowledge has ever taken into account the doubt that
has crept into the mind of a 7-foot-6, oft-injured former All-Star.
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Super Bowl 2009, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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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