Jazz return home to face hapless Wizards

Basketball Betting Lines

03/15/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Utah Jazz hope a return to Salt Lake City against a hapless Washington team will get them back on the winning track as the postseason approaches.

The short-handed Jazz dropped the final two games of a four-game road trip, the latest of which came last night in Oklahoma City when Russell Westbrook poured in 30 points and dished out 11 assists, as the Thunder took down Utah 119-111.

Wesley Matthews finished with a career-high 29 points for the Jazz, who ended the four-game trip with a 2-2 mark and are now just a half-game ahead of the Thunder for the fifth seed in the Western Conference standings.

Deron Williams battled through a sore shoulder and wrist to record 27 points and 14 assists before fouling out. Carlos Boozer tallied 18 points and 11 boards for Utah, which lost back-to-back games for the first time since a three-game skid from December 31-January 4.

"That was about as physical a basketball team as we're going to face," Thunder head coach Scott Brooks said of the Jazz. "It's great for our guys to experience it and compete against a very veteran, physical, playoff-tested team."

The Jazz were without center Mehmet Okur (back) and forward Andrei Kirilenko (calf) on Sunday and both players are listed as questionable for tonight's game.

The Wizards, who are opening up a four-game road trip tonight, continue to falter down the stretch and dropped their season-high seventh consecutive game on Saturday against Orlando. Dwight Howard put up 28 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and even dished out five assists in that one, as the Magic overcame a sluggish start to upend Washington, 109-95.

Andray Blatche posted 32 points for the Wizards, who actually led by 15 before stumbling to yet another loss. Shaun Livingston provided 18 points and eight assists, and Al Thornton chipped in 15 points in defeat.

"Unfortunately the game's are 48 minutes and not 12," joked Wizards head coach Flip Saunders.

Blatche has been the lone bright spot for Washington, averaging 24.5 points and 9.8 rebounds in 14 games since joining the starting lineup.

The Jazz have won 18 of their last 21 home games against the Wizards.

Wwwgamblingregistry Basketball Betting News

<< Celtics and Pistons clash in Beantown
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Celtics hope to bounce back from a tough loss in Cleveland on Sunday when they welcome Eastern Conference also-ran Detroit to Beantown. In a possible playoff preview the C's came up short against the Cavs when

<< Sixers, Knicks meet in Philly
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Third place in the Atlantic Division is on the line tonight in Philadelphia. Of course, third place doesn't mean all that much if you are entering the contest at 23-43 like the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers. Ne

<< Streelman carries 3-shot lead into final round
Rio Grande, Puerto Rico (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kevin Streelman finished off an eight-under 64 in the third round Monday to carry a three-shot lead into the final round of the rain-delayed Puerto Rico Open. Streelman made five birdies in

<< Playoff-hopeful Flames, Red Wings square off in key battle
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The last time the Flames took on the Red Wings, they walked away with two points and the eighth spot in the Western Conference. Calgary will hope for similar results tonight at Pengrowth Saddledome versus Detroit, which wi

<< Blue Jackets host Oilers in meeting of disappointing clubs
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With both clubs headed towards disappointing finishes to the 2009-10 season, the Edmonton Oilers and Columbus Blue Jackets face each other for the final time this year tonight at Nationwide Arena. Columbus made the postsea

Fading Hornets resume road trip vs. Clippers >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The fading New Orleans Hornets resume a five-game road trip at Staples Center tonight hoping for their 13th straight win over the Los Angeles Clippers. The Hornets dropped the opener of their trek in Phoenix last night whe

Lakers shoot for another season sweep of Warriors >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pacific Division foes square off for the last time this season on Monday when the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers head up the California coast to take on the Golden State Warriors. The Lakers - Warriors rivalry h

Nuggets press on without Karl; meet Rockets >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Denver Nuggets continue their push toward the postseason without head coach George Karl tonight against a desperate Houston Rockets team. The Nuggets have played without Karl, who is undergoing radiation and chemother

Rachel Alexandra absence does not affect Zenyatta >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The hoped for meeting next month at Oaklawn Park between 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra and champion mare Zenyatta has been put on hold. Rachel Alexandra's majority owner Jess Jackson an

Colts sign OT Terry >>
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Indianapolis Colts have agreed to terms with offensive tackle Adam Terry, who had spent his first five NFL seasons with Baltimore. Terry missed the entire 2009 campaign because of an in

Big 12 Conference betting odds

Work left to do: Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas State

Texas joins Texas A&M and Kansas as locks after getting league win No. 11. Texas Tech greatly helped its own hopes and crippled OK State's with the two-point win Saturday. Is K-State the last reasonable hopeful? Could be an elimination match in Stillwater on Tuesday, at least for the Cowboys.

Work left to do:

Texas Tech [18-11 (7-7), RPI: 44, SOS: 12] A critical two-point win over OK State leaves the Red Raiders with Baylor and at Iowa State left. Get both and the Red Raiders likely are good to go. Get one and there could be some interesting comparisons with a K-State team that could finish two or three games "ahead" of them in the standings but doesn't have any of the quality wins Texas Tech has. Not a lot in nonconference play (against Arkansas in Little Rock being the best win, by far) to lean on.

Oklahoma State [18-9 (5-8), RPI: 50, SOS: 35] Still without a road win, the Cowboys now need to win two on the road just to get to .500 in conference play. It's hard to recall a team (OK, other than Clemson) falling so precipitously from lock status to almost certainly out of the NCAAs at this point. There are wins to be had in the last three, including a very big home game against K-State on Tuesday, but this team is reeling. Can you tell the pressure to win is getting to them with the way the final possession played out at Texas Tech? There are some good nonconference performances to lean on, specifically beating Missouri State and Syracuse on neutral floors and Pitt in OK City, but if the Pokes don't right this very, very soon, that won't be enough.

Kansas State [20-9 (9-5), RPI: 56, SOS: 96] It pays to be in the Big 12 North. The nine league wins are Colorado (twice), Missouri (twice), Iowa State (twice), Baylor, Nebraska and (a good one against) Texas. That helps explain the middling computer profile. The win over USC is nice, but the nonconference leaves a lot to be desired. The game at OK State in Stillwater on Tuesday is huge, as it could KO the Cowboys and leave K-State with a home date against Oklahoma with which to work.