Pierce returns to action

Basketball Betting Lines

02/09/2007 -

BOSTON (AP) -Mired in a franchise-record 16-game losing streak, the Boston Celtics finally got some good news Friday night.

Captain Paul Pierce returned to the court for the Celtics' game against the New Jersey Nets after missing 24 games with a stress reaction in his left foot and infected left elbow.

Pierce, who leads Boston with 26.6 points per game, was supposed to return earlier this week, but an elbow infection delayed his return. After spending two nights in the hospital following a minor surgical procedure to relieve the swelling, Pierce was released Thursday.

``I'm feeling pretty good,'' Pierce said. ``My foot is feeling pretty good, which is the main concern. I got the elbow stuff out the way. It's a little sore, but that's the least of my worries.''

Pierce came off the bench with 4:12 remaining in the first quarter and assisted on Al Jefferson's layup a minute later.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said he hopes to limit Pierce's playing time to 15-20 minutes per game to ease him back into the rotation. With the Celtics struggling to close out games, Rivers said he'll try to keep Pierce fresh for the fourth quarter.

``How well he'll play and all that, I don't think anybody knows,'' Rivers said. ``He's had one practice. I don't know who's sat out a month, had one practice and done a lot. But the fact that he wants to play is great, I think it's great leadership for all our young guys to see.''

Boston was 10-14 before Pierce's injury, but has gone 2-22 since he last played on Dec. 20. The Celtics' last win came Jan. 5 in Memphis.

``It's been the most frustrating time of my career,'' Pierce said. ``It's like watching your little brother out there in a fight and you're helpless because you can't help him.''

Even with Pierce's return, the Celtics remained short-handed.

Forward Wally Szczerbiak missed the game after spraining his left ankle in Boston's loss to Miami on Wednesday.

Szczerbiak missed five games with a sprain in the same ankle in December, but Rivers said this injury isn't as serious and Szczerbiak could return before next weekend's All-Star game.

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 The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

Wmarketwatch Basketball Betting News

<< Sabres' Connolly skating again; return uncertain
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -Tim Connolly is free of his headaches, but not of some questions.The Buffalo Sabres center still couldn't say Friday when he would be ready to return after sustaining the second serious concussion of his career 10 months ago.``Th

<< Iwamura eager to get started with Devil Rays
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -Akinori Iwamura stepped up to the podium, took a deep breath and smiled.The last time the five-time Japanese League All-Star remembered feeling so nervous, his country was facing the United States on the way to winning the

<< Park and Mets reach deal
NEW YORK (AP) -Chan Ho Park is joining the expanding list of pitchers trying to earn spots in the New York Mets' rotation.Park and the Mets agreed Friday to a $600,000, one-year contract, giving the team another option for its starting rotation head

<< Park and Mets near deal
NEW YORK (AP) -Chan Ho Park is joining the expanding list of pitchers trying to earn spots in the New York Mets' rotation.Park and the Mets reached a preliminary agreement on a $600,000, one-year contract, giving the team another option for its star

<< Wizards seek to downplay hype as Arenas aims for 50-point game against Portland
WASHINGTON (AP) -Perhaps the Washington Wizards are showing the effects of a little too much Gilbertology. Two days before what Gilbert Arenas has proclaimed will be his next 50-point game, no one wanted to say much about it.``I'm not going to comme

Old Dominion hires Maine assistant Wilder as coach >>
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -Former University of Maine associate head coach Bobby Wilder was hired as the second football coach ever at Old Dominion, which will field a team in 2009 for the first time since 1940.Wilder will be introduced to the media Monday

Hurricanes recall Bayda from Albany >>
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -The Carolina Hurricanes recalled left wing Ryan Bayda on Friday to replace winger Cory Stillman, who was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury.Stillman left during the second period of Carolina's 2-1 win Tuesday over the M

Nash misses second game with sore shoulder >>
PHOENIX (AP) -All-Star Steve Nash sat out the Suns' game against Atlanta because of a sore right shoulder.It was the second game in a row that the league's two-time defending MVP was sidelined. He missed Tuesday's overtime victory at Portland and sa

Lightning-Rangers, Sums >>
Tampa Bay 0 0 0-0N.Y. Rangers 2 2 1-5First Period-1, N.Y. Rangers, Orr 1 (Tyutin, Betts), 4:28. 2, N.Y. Rangers, Hossa 4 (Rozsival, Straka), 11:32. Penalty-Shanahan, NYR (hooking), 13:24.Second Period-3, N.Y. Rangers, Hollweg 1 (Jagr), 8:28

Wizards suspend Thomas for 2 games >>
WASHINGTON (AP) -The Washington Wizards suspended center Etan Thomas for two games Friday because of conduct detrimental to the team.Thomas will games Sunday against Portland and Wednesday at Philadelphia. He will not practice with the team during t

Pacific-10 Conference odds

Teams that should be in: Stanford

Oregon and USC get their tickets punched after taking care of business this weekend. Yes, the Trojans' computer numbers aren't great, but there's no way the third-place team in this league is getting nixed. Grudgingly, I added Arizona after consultation with our Bracketologist. I don't know that Arizona will lose its last three (including a Pac-10 quarterfinal game), and even if the Cats do, I still can't see how they'd be left out, given the overall profile. That said, it bears watching, as three more L's would leave them at 18-12 (9-9) and on a 6-11 skid entering the Dance. It would be nice to see the Wildcats get at least one W in the Bay Area next week, as Cincinnati (albeit without Armein Kirkland and with a worse profile) was axed after a similar slide last season. I just couldn't rationalize having some of the other teams as locks and not having Arizona in that category -- there just aren't enough good teams behind the Cats to threaten their spot, it seems. Stanford has its fate in its own hands with the Arizona schools coming to the Farm to close out the regular season next weekend.

Should be in:

Stanford [17-10 (9-7), RPI: 40, SOS: 21] No shame in not getting a win in L.A., but that makes the home game against Arizona State a must-win ahead of what could be an intriguing meeting with Arizona should the Cats lose at Cal. Getting to 11 Pac-10 wins would make Selection Sunday much more comfortable, but 10's probably more than enough this season. The Cardinal have nonconference wins over Texas Tech and at Virginia to lean on, although they also lost badly to Air Force and Santa Clara at home.

Southeastern Conference odds
Work left to do: Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Mississippi State

It looks more and more possible that no one from the SEC West will make the NCAAs. How weird is that? Tennessee and Vandy move into the locks category after more good work this weekend. Kentucky stays there, although it would be smart for the Cats to handle Georgia at home Wednesday ahead of a trip to the Swamp. Could a disaster scenario (two more L's and a first-round SEC tourney exit) somehow dislodge the Cats despite their incredible computer numbers? Still unlikely, but not worth chancing it.

Work left to do:

Alabama [19-9 (6-8), RPI: 43, SOS: 47] The tough L at Tennessee was understandable, and even created some hope. Unfortunately, that hope was dashed by a home loss to Auburn, which leaves the Tide in some real trouble. There's still no signature win on the profile (no, Kentucky doesn't count), and the computer profile is weakening rapidly. The Tide conceivably could beat Ole Miss and win at Miss. State to get to 8-8 and clinch at least a share of the West crown, but that's probably not enough right now. The Tide will need to do some work in the SEC tourney.

Georgia [16-10 (8-6), RPI: 52, SOS: 23] This is the team with the best chance to make it from this section right now. The Bulldogs rebounded from a terrible performance at Ole Miss to beat down Miss. State. Now they are at Kentucky (king of the RPI 51-100 win) and home to Tennessee. That would be worth a lot of computer points to get both (which is doable), as both teams are in the top 11 in RPI. Finishing at least 9-7 is an absolute must, and I would feel much better about the Dawgs' chances if they got both to get to 10 SEC wins. They also beat Gonzaga, but lost to ACC bubblers Georgia Tech and Clemson.

Mississippi [18-10 (7-7), RPI: 63, SOS: 79] Like everyone else in this division, Ole Miss gacked up a chance to stake a claim, losing by double figures at South Carolina. Even 9-7 likely is not nearly enough with a nonconference profile devoid of anything notable.

Mississippi State [16-11 (7-7), RPI: 66, SOS: 37] With a chance to get in the mix, these Bulldogs were leashed by their Georgia counterparts. Could they get to 9-7? I guess -- although winning at Arkansas, then beating Alabama is no lock -- but would that mean all that much for a team with this overall profile? Probably not. There's nothing of note (on the good side) in the nonconference profile.

For more College Basketball betting lines go to MySportsbook.com

Additional sports lines can be found at: www.Sportsbooks.com

To bet on March Madness games this online sportsbook accepts credit cards.


COLLEGE FOOTBALL BETTING

NCAA Football Betting : USC's reward: Top spot in Top 25

NEW YORK (AP) -By staying away from the cupcakes, Southern California earned itself a slim new ranking.

No. 1 always seems to fit USC.

Southern California jumped two spots to No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 on Tuesday, rewarded by voters for opening the season with a dominant performance on the road against a BCS conference opponent.

Georgia and Ohio State, the preseason Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, started their seasons with glorified scrimmages at home against FCS (formerly I-AA) teams. USC, however, traveled across country to face Virginia and could not have been more impressive in a 52-7 victory.

Georgia fell to No. 2 and Ohio State to No 3.

"We realize that rankings so early in a season are certainly fluid. But rankings do help establish a pecking order for things later in the season," USC coach Pete Carroll said in a statement. "As for moving into the No. 1 spot, it's nice to know that people think highly of our team."

Since reaching No. 1 on Dec. 7, 2003, the final-regular season AP poll of that season, USC has been No. 1 in 39 polls, by far the most of any team during that time.

"Some have said the voters are taking our schedule into consideration," Carroll said. "Our philosophy has always been to schedule outstanding opponents. We need to play challenging games like we just did, traveling across the country to open the season at Virginia. Games like that bring out our best and make us stronger as a team."

The latest voting was close. USC received 21 first-place votes and 1,539 points from the 65-member media panel. Georgia had 20 first-place votes and 1,506 points. Ohio State got 15 first-place votes and 1,497 points.

"I'd say we've evolved as pollsters," said Stewart Mandel of SI.com, who moved USC up to No. 1. "In the past, voters just kind of automatically moved teams up and kept teams where they were if they won."

Georgia beat Georgia Southern 45-21 on Saturday and Ohio State opened with a 43-0 win over Youngstown State.

"There's a bit of a growing backlash for the amount of teams that open with I-AA cupcakes," said Mandel, whose book "Bowls, Polls and Tattered Souls" chronicles college football's controversies. "To see a team [USC] go on the road and play a New Year's Day bowl team from last season, and not only play them but destroy them, how could you not reward that team?"

USC also jumped past Georgia to No. 1 in the USA Today coaches' poll, which has the same top five as the AP poll.

"It's definitely a privilege to be No. 1. But it's not heartbreaking to me if we drop," Georgia offensive lineman Josh Davis said. "It doesn't matter right now what we're ranked. What matters is our next game and right now, that's Central Michigan. The only time the polls matter is in December. That's when the polls matter."

While the Bulldogs opened easy, their schedule ultimately should be as difficult as any team's. Georgia's big nonconference test is at No. 15 Arizona State on Sept. 20. The Bulldogs also face six Southeastern Conference rivals that've been ranked in the first two polls.

As for Ohio State, the Buckeyes play at USC on Sept. 13 before getting into the Big Ten schedule.

But of the teams in this week's top 10, USC and Texas are the only ones that don't play an FCS opponent, and the Trojans are the only team that doesn't play a team from a non-BCS conference.

Get the latest 2009 BCS Championship odds at MySportsbook.com.

The last team to drop from No. 1 after a victory was USC last season. LSU jumped from No. 2 to No. 1 when it beat Tulane 34-9, the same week the Trojans edged Washington 27-24 on the road.

The last preseason No. 1 team to lose the top spot after winning its opening game was Florida in 2001. The Gators beat Marshall 49-14, but preseason No. 2 Miami opened with a 33-7 victory over Penn State and the Hurricanes jumped to No. 1 with Florida slipping to second.

The next four teams in the new Top 25 stayed the same: No. 4 Oklahoma (two first-place votes), No. 5 Florida (five first-place votes), No. 6 Missouri (one first-place vote), No. 7 LSU (one first-place vote) and No. 8 West Virginia.

No. 9 Auburn and No. 10 Texas each moved up a spot, taking advantage of Clemson's big drop. Clemson, ninth in the preseason, fell out after losing 34-10 to Alabama on Saturday.

Also falling out after losses were Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh and Tennessee.

Moving into the rankings were No. 21 Fresno State, No. 22 Utah, No. 23 UCLA and No. 24 South Carolina.

Alabama moved up 11 spots after its big victory over Clemson.

The second 10 started with No. 11 Wisconsin, followed by Texas Tech, Alabama and Kansas. BYU and Arizona State were tied for 15th. Rivals BYU and Utah are both ranked for the first time since 1996.

South Florida was No. 17, ahead of Oregon, Penn State and Wake Forest at No. 20.

The final five were all the teams to move into the ranking, except for Illinois, which dropped four spots and tied South Carolina for No. 24.

Get free Sports Betting lines RSS feeds from top rated online sportsbook MySportsbook.com