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Up 3-0, Suns writing the book on playoff rebirth

Basketball Betting Lines

05/08/2010 -

SAN ANTONIO (AP) -Hungry after taking a 3-0 lead on the San Antonio Spurs with a fifth straight playoff win, the Phoenix Suns ate dinner early Saturday at one of the few places they could find open.

``Hard Rock,'' Grant Hill said. ``We didn't have many options that late.''

At least they firmly control what really matters.

The Suns returned to the AT&T Center for practice Saturday every bit as relaxed as the night before, when general manager Steve Kerr was comparing Goran Dragic with Michael Jordan and Phoenix left with its most commanding playoff series lead in five years.

Steve Nash lounged courtside. Amare Stoudemire shot jumpers in fashionably geek, Elvis Costello-like glasses. Hill revealed that he spoke with NBA commissioner David Stern about writing a book, something along the lines of Bill Bradley's ``Life on the Run.''

He's now got a better read in mind: these Suns, so close to dealing Stoudemire at midseason and starting over, now sitting a victory from ousting their longtime playoff nemesis and reaching the Western Conference finals.

``What's happened this season, and the things that we've gone through, and how special and unique this team is?'' Hill said. ``It should have been documented. I'm still kicking myself.''

And the Spurs?

They were across town, sullen and frustrated and mulling what history says will be the final chapter written about them this season.

No team in the NBA playoffs has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit. Tim Duncan has been in this position only once before heading into a Game 4, in the 2001 West finals. The Los Angeles Lakers wound up womping San Antonio by 29 points.

Only a week ago were the Spurs being hailed as perhaps the best No. 7 seed in NBA history after impressively dumping Dallas in six games. Now they are looking like, well, like just about every other seventh seed in NBA history.

On the eve of Sunday night's Game 4 in San Antonio, coach Gregg Popovich still had a sense of humor after the Spurs emerged Saturday from their film session - which likely starred a backup, unheralded Suns guard shredding them for 23 points in the fourth quarter.

``Didn't you see the guys come out of there cheering?'' Popovich joked. ``Some were crying, some were cheering. It was very emotional.''

Tony Parker came out OK, albeit sore. He had X-rays taken on his lower back after several hard falls in a rough return to the starting lineup Friday night. He'll play in Game 4.

``Everybody's surprised,'' said Parker, who scored just 10 points in Game 3 after averaging 23 in the first two games. ``We played very good against Dallas. Now we're in a bad situation.''

Hill remembers the Suns having that feeling just three months ago.

It was during the All-Star break, when Stoudemire put his chances of being traded at 50-50 and the Suns started pulling out of a two-month tailspin. Going into the break having won five of six, Hill retreated to Cabo San Lucas with his wife and kept his fingers crossed.

``It was almost like, 'I hope they don't blow this team up,''' Hill said. ``Because I feel like whatever it is, we discovered it. We figured out that formula.''

Kerr said that feeling was universal.

``We had a pretty good thing going,'' Kerr said. ``We weren't playing great at the time, but that's why I maintained all along it was going to take something really good for us to break up the team.''

Had that happened, Stoudemire wouldn't be on the brink of beating the Spurs in the playoffs for the first time in five tries since 2003.

Not that the Suns are getting ahead of themselves.

``Somebody said it's 88-0 when you're 3-0,'' Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. ``You know what, there's also a situation where a man didn't walk on the moon until 1969.''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.

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MySportsbook.com: NFL draft - The NFC South


In part two of MySportsbook.com’s draft preview, we’ll take a look at a division that was extremely disappointing last season: the NFC South.  Many “experts” predicted the Panthers to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, of course they could not even make the playoffs in an extremely weak NFC.  The Saints definitely made up for the disappointing seasons of their NFC South brethren by exploding out of no where en route to the NFC Championship game.  For the avid NFL gambler, it is imperative to pay attention to the NFL draft.  Although free agency gets a ton of publicity, the successful franchises build their teams around the draft.

1. New Orleans Saints
Who would have thought this time last year that the Saints would be the favorites to win the NFC South for the 2007 campaign?  New Orleans is loaded with firepower on the offensive side of the ball but with the exodus of Joe Horn they will most likely look to draft a WR on Day 1.  Despite having the NFL’s 3rd ranked pass defense last season, the Saints will most likely upgrade their CB’s with one of their first two picks. Other possibilities for the Saints will be TE and DT.  Because of where they will be selecting (27th), the Saints could go the “best available player” route which could net a LB.

Key additions: Eric Johnson TE, Troy Evans LB, David Patten WR
Key loses: Joe Horn WR,
Team needs: CB, WR, TE, LB, DT
Possible draftees: Aaron Ross CB Texas, Darrelle Revis CB Pitt, Ted Ginn Jr. WR OSU, Paul Posluszny LB PSU, Chris Houston CB Arkansas, Greg Olsen TE Miami

2. Carolina Panthers
Carolina was one of the biggest disappointments in the NFL last season.  With the signing of David Carr, expect the very first quarterback controversy to come out of Carolina if Jake Delhomme doesn’t rebound quickly from an average 2007 season. With veteran safety Mike Minter getting up there in age, they will look to draft a safety on Day 1 but probably not in the first round.  LB is another need with the loss of Chris Draft to go along with Dan Morgan’s concussion problems.  If TE Greg Olsen is still on the board, he might be too good to pass up despite their needs on the defensive side of the ball.

Key additions: David Carr QB
Key loses: Chris Draft LB
Team needs: LB, TE, S, OT
Possible draftees: Greg Olsen TE Miami, Patrick Willis LB Ole Miss, Paul Posluszny LB PSU, Levi Brown OT PSU

3. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons were another NFC South team to have a disappointing 2007 season.  The Falcons have been plenty busy during the off season with plenty of players coming and going including a new head coach.  The Falcons were able to improve their draft position with the trade of coveted backup QB Matt Schaub.  High on the list of Day 1 needs will be a defensive end to replace Patrick Kerney and a hard hitting safety since Lawyer Milloy is nearing the end of his career.  With an additional 2nd round pick, the Falcons could attempt to trade up to acquire local product WR Calvin Johnson. 

Key additions: Joey Harrington QB, Toniu Fonoti OG, Joe Horn WR
Key loses: Justin Griffen RB, Patrick Kerney DE, Matt Lehr OG, Ashley Lelie WR, Matt Schaub QB
Team needs: DE, S, OT, WR, DT
Possible draftees: LaRon Landry S LSU, Amobi Okoye DT Louisville, Levi Brown OT PSU, Jamaal Anderson DE Arkansas, Alan Branch DT Michigan

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Age really caught up to the Bucs last season.  The Bucs still have plenty of household names on defense in Ronde Barber, Simeon Rice and Derrick Brooks but the one thing those three have in common is unfortunately age.  It is imperative for the Bucs to get much younger, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Despite having bigger needs on the defensive side of the ball, WR Calvin Johnson is the most likely pick if he is still available when the Bucs pick at the four spot.  This would suit Bucs’ faithful just fine as Johnson is widely considered the top talent in the draft and it is a position of need for the Bucs.

Key additions: Jeff Garcia QB, Kevin Carter DE, Torrie Cox CB, Cato June LB
Key loses: Dewayne White DE, Sean Mahan OG
Team needs: WR, LB, DE, CB (Youth on defense!)
Possible draftees: Calvin Johnson WR Georgia Tech, Gains Adams DE Clemson, Jamaal Anderson DE Arkansas

It is never too early to start betting on the NFL. Log on to MySportsbook.com to checkout all of the NFL futures for the upcoming season.  On the clock: the NFC North

Odds to win the NFC South:
New Orleans Saints 8-5
Carolina Panthers 2-1
Atlanta Falcons 12-5
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9-2    

Odds to win the NFC:
New Orleans Saints 13-2
Carolina Panthers 7-1
Atlanta Falcons 20-1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 25-1

Odds to win the Super Bowl:
New Orleans Saints 18-1
Carolina Panthers 20-1
Atlanta Falcons 50-1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 75-1

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