Lakers eye West's top seed in Denver

Basketball Betting Lines

04/08/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Pacific Division-champion Los Angeles Lakers will try to clinch the West's top seed when they take a trip to the Rocky Mountains tonight to face the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center.

The Lakers are 4 1/2 games ahead of Dallas, Denver and Phoenix in the conference standings, and have lost three of their last four games. A win tonight would lock up the top seed for a third straight year (2008, 2009).

In a 100-81 setback versus the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday at Staples Center, Pau Gasol led the way with a season-high 32 points, seven rebounds and six assists, while MVP candidate Kobe Bryant finished with 22 points, eight boards and six assists for LA, which lost out on home-court advantage throughout the playoffs to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"We were flat from the middle of the second on," said Lakers coach Phil Jackson. "They took away a lot of passing lanes and we got out of rhythm. It was unfortunate for us that we couldn't get the bench going."

Lamar Odom added nine points and 13 boards in defeat. The Lakers, who will also visit Minnesota and are 22-16 as the guest in 2009-10, have dropped two straight and three of their last four road games.

With five more victories the Lakers can post back-to-back 60-win campaigns for the first time since a four-year run from 1984-85 - 1987-88.

Denver is currently embroiled in a tight race within the Northwest Division, sitting just a half-game ahead of idle Utah for the top spot, while the Thunder and Blazers are three games off the pace.

The Nuggets are tied with Dallas and Phoenix for the No. 2 seed in the West standings and have won three in a row. They will open a three-game homestand Thursday versus the Lakers, Spurs and Grizzlies and own a 32-6 mark in the Rockies this season. Dating back to March of last season, Denver has won 42 of its last 48 home games.

In Wednesday's 98-94 triumph at Oklahoma City, Carmelo Anthony overcame an upper body injury to post 24 points and 11 rebounds. Chauncey Billups drained the go-ahead free throws in the final minute of regulation and scored 15 of his 31 points in the final quarter.

"It was a big win. [The Thunder] made a big run in the fourth to go up 13. We kept our composure and chipped away at it," said Anthony, who is third in the NBA with 28.4 ppg. "We played some defense, that's what did it."

The Nuggets have won two of three meetings with the Lakers this season and are trying to win the season series for the first time since the 2006-07 campaign. LA, however, has won seven of the previous 10 matchups with Denver, which has won two straight and eight of 12 encounters at the Pepsi Center.

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Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl Odds

Will he or won't he?  Now that the Dallas Cowboys have a new head coach in Wade Phillips, the big question will be: Does Terrell Owens stay with the team.

Jerry Jones continues to suggest that Terrell Owens will remain with the team.

"I've said that he's back, he's here, he's under contract," Jones said. "In the interviews I've just been through (to hire a new coach), it was very clear to me how highly he's thought of and how much of an impact he had on our offensive success."

Just to be sure though, Terrell Owens cleared out his locker and removed his name plate.

Terrell Owens was among the Cowboys most productive players this past season, catching 85 passes for 1,180 yards and a league-best 13 touchdowns.

But T.O. is due a $3 million roster bonus in June, then a $5 million salary this season. Cutting him before then would save a lot of money and headaches.

Aside from the questions surrounding Terrell Owens, the oddsmakers at MySportsbook.com have concerns over starting quarterback Tony Romo's state of mind and whether he will remain a starting quarterback.  It is also not known how players will adjust to new head coach, Wade Phillips.

Here are the football odds as seen at MySportsbook.com and subject to change after February 10, 2007 if not locked in prior to that date.
Arizona Cardinals 60-1


Atlanta Falcons 50-1


Baltimore Ravens 15-1


Buffalo Bills 50-1


Carolina Panthers 18-1


Chicago Bears 10-1


Cincinnati Bengals 15-1


Cleveland Browns 100-1


Dallas Cowboys 15-1


Denver Broncos 15-1


Detroit Lions 100-1


Green Bay Packers 50-1


Houston Texans 100-1


Indianapolis Colts 6-1


Jacksonville Jaguars 30-1


Kansas City Chiefs 30-1


Miami Dolphins 40-1


Minnesota Vikings 75-1


New England Patriots 10-1


New Orleans Saints 18-1


New York Giants 20-1


New York Jets 30-1


Oakland Raiders 100-1


Philadelphia Eagles 18-1


Pittsburgh Steelers 10-1


Saint Louis Rams 60-1


San Diego Chargers 6-1


San Francisco 49ers 75-1


Seattle Seahawks 20-1


Tampa Bay Buccanneers 75-1


Tennessee Titans 40-1


Washington Redskins 50-1

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