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WORLD BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS SET FOR LAUNCH AFTER A THRILLING ROUND OF TUNE-UPS – FANS WONDER WHAT TO EXPECT!
NEW YORK, NY – The World Basketball Championships are set for lift-off after a thrilling round of pre-tourney action. Team USA has looked strong and shows no signs of slowing, even after a recent game that went to the wire. With speculation and hype reaching a fever pitch, the largest most successful sportsbook on the web, BetUS.com posted odds on the upcoming tourney.
Analysts at BetUS.com posted the following odds on The World Basketball Championship:
To Win
Angola 1500/1
Argentina 22/1
Australia 150/1
Brazil 25/1
Canada 250/1
China 750/1
Croatia 80/1
France 70/1
Germany 150/1
Greece 10/1
Iran 1500/1
Ivory Coast 2500/1
Jordan 5000/1
Lebanon 1500/1
Lithuania 50/1
New Zealand 1000/1
Puerto Rico 125/1
Russia 60/1
Serbia 16/1
Slovenia 65/1
Spain 5/2
Tunisia 5000/1
Turkey 25/1
USA 1/2
Possible Final Matchup
USA v Greece 5/2
USA v Spain 5/1
USA v Serbia 6/1
USA v Argentina 7/1
Spain v Greece 10/1
Spain v Serbia 15/1
Spain v Argentina 20/1
USA v Turkey 25/1
USA v Brazil 28/1
USA v Slovenia 28/1
USA v Lithuania 30/1
Spain v Turkey 30/1
USA v France 40/1
Greece v Argentina 40/1
Greece v Serbia 40/1
USA v Russia 60/1
Greece v Lithuania 60/1
Spain v Brazil 80/1
August 24th, 2010 9:36:16 PM UTC | Posted in Basketball, BetUS, Futures by admin | No Comments
After barely surviving the previous tune-up game over Lithuania (really? Lithuania? Come on…), the US needed to ride Kevin Durant’s 25 point performance to overcome the Spanish Squad. The Spaniards, led by Juan Carlos Navarro’s 20 points, rallied to a 1 point lead with a mere 27 seconds left, but a few lucky breaks and some clutch free throws by Derrick Rose put Spain away for an 86-85 win for the US team.
Yes, Spain is the defending world champs from 2006 and have some pretty solid talent on the roster, but am I alone in feeling that the US kind of phones it in when the World’s come around every 4 years? I guess I just find it odd that when we can absolutely dominate in the Olympics, winning all but 4 gold medals since 1936, yet we have won only 3 gold medals in all the WBC tournaments, the last being in 1994 and in ’54 and ’86 previously. (Freaking Yugoslavia has the most medals) I understand that guys don’t want to rest or risk injury and that obviously the payday isn’t in international play but in the NBA. But come on, this is the international stage! Why not dominate when you know you easily could? Our team is led by Durant, one of the best in the league, but where is the rest of the premiere American talent?
Why can’t the new Heat trio make the trip to Madrid and show people what they’ve got? They certainly pulled it together in Beijing. But alas, they’re too busy dancing on stage in Miami and planning more 1 hour ESPN specials to announce things. On that note, where are the guys that played in the Olympics? Chris Paul? Kobe? ‘Melo? I know this tournament doesn’t capture the attention of the American audience the way the Olympics do, and I guess that deep down, logically, I can actually understand (begrudgingly) why these guys sit out. They want a secure pay day, they’re tired, who really cares?, etc etc. But I guess what’s fueling this rant is the fact that I cannot conceivably understand how, if you know for a fact you’ve got the team to own the rest of the world in competition, you wouldn’t do it. Steph Curry is an up and comer, Odom is a good support guy (sometimes), but if I were the big boys, I’d watch these guys get their feet wet until they struggled, but I’d have myself in a situation where I could step in and make sure business always got done, and done well.
If not just for the fact that you know the rest of the world wants this more than America does, why not take it just because you can, to reassert your dominance? (okay, thats a prick move, but it’s what I would do). These guys are extremely competitive, they possess a winning drive above normal humans, yet they sit this out and watch the team struggle rather than step in and show the world how its done. That is beyond me.
I’m sure many out there will say I’m off base and have no idea what I’m talking about; that the young guys need the international experience, that they’ve earned their spot, and that the older or more talented celebrity players can’t risk the competition. And I’d be inclined to agree with you on every logical level. But it is the illogical part, the desire to win and show the world that you’re the best; that desire and drive and ego that overruns logic, that seems to be missing. Like I said earlier, we almost lost to LITHUANIA! Doesn’t that seem a little weird considering the all consuming sports obsession this country has?
In short, if we could win, and we can, why don’t we?
August 23rd, 2010 12:50:57 AM UTC | Posted in Basketball, Sports by TheCaptain | 1 Comment
The Big Aristotle. The Big Diesel. Shaqstradamus. The Big Shamrock.
The nicknames have been numerous, and they’ve been varied. He’s gone from the Magic, to the Lakers, to the Suns, the Cavs, and now to the Celtics. He’s won championships, hes faltered, and through it all, he’s had a platinum record, rapped with Michael Jackson, and played the worlds tallest genie in “Kazaam.” But regardless of the hoopla, Shaquille Rashaun O’neal has established himself as perhaps the most dominant center in basketball history. He is 5th in all time points (right behind Wilt the Stilt himself), 2nd in field goal percentage (with way more attempts than the guy ahead of him), 7th in total blocks, and 15th in blocks per game (despite his reputation as a defensive liability). He has 4 championships with 2 different teams, and on top of all that, he is renowned for his ability to forge relationships with y0ung guards and elevate their game. Their is no denying the incredibility of the The Great Shaqtus. But this is 2010, isn’ t it?
Okay, so nowadays he’s the oldest active player in the NBA at 38. He didn’t take the Suns to a championship (albeit a finals) and he couldn’t quite get the Lebron led Cavs over the hump to a championship. I’ll admit, he’s not the dominant center who was almost the first unanimous MVP ever in ’99-’00 who led the Lakers to 3 straight championships, but he is the missing piece the Celtics need. Yes, Shaq should probably have retired this year, but one cannot look at the Celtics roster and not believe that this is the one team where he truly might find a fit.
He’s not gonna play any huge minutes, but then, at the league veteran minimum, hes not expected to. This is a team full of aging vets who are just trying to play well enough long enough to possibly win one or more. Kendrick Perkins is out til possibly midseason, so Shaq will fill a hole there. KG no longer has a dominating inside game, preferring a perimeter shooting experience, so BAM, another hole filled. Not to mention, hes no marginally talented wannabe anyway. He could still, on any given night, post up on the NBA’s best defenders and drop 20+ points a night. His “black tornado” (aka drop step) at 7-1, 325, is still as unstoppable as a dunk or jump hook from an athletic ogre ever was.. He may not be able to get back on defense every play anymore, but with the Celtic’s rotation, he can fill the niche KG and Perkins leave and still be effective.
So he’s not the focal point of the team, he’s still a leader. in a locker room that’s full of leaders, Shaq stands to lead the m0st. If there is any coach or organization that can handle his ego, it’s the Celts. Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, the now-emerged Rondo, and now Shaq. Doc Rivers is the master at taking people who were The Man, and making them play together in a way that compliments them all. There has never been a system more designed for Shaq. He brings his 4 championships; he’s been there, more than the rest. If they play together, it could be incredible. Not to mention, for the first time, he’s playing with a crew he respects in KG, Pierce, and Allen. It’s Shaq with his peers, not Shaq among men. Quite frankly, I’m predicting them to beat the new Heat trifecta when it comes down to it. I think the supporting cast is too good, the experience too much, and the drive too powerful. Shaq is here to win one more, to show Kobe a thing or two, and, as the season goes, on, I predict a Celtics/Heat storyline to develop. The Big Aristotle isn’t done; if he was, he’d be retired to his shopping mall sized Florida compound. He’s got one (or two) goes left in him, and he’s here to throw down a “Boom-Shaqualaqua.”
top 5 possible new Shaq nicknames (- The Big Shamrock)
The 4th Clover
The Big Pot ‘o Gold
The Big Lucky Charm
The End of the Rainbow
St. Shaqtrick
August 11th, 2010 6:48:18 PM UTC | Posted in Basketball, Sports by TheCaptain | 5 Comments
CHRIS PAUL LATEST STAR TO EXPRESS INTEREST IN PURSUING A ROSTER SPOT WITH A SUPER TEAM – ANY CHANCE HE’LL LEAVE NEW ORLEANS?
NEW YORK, NY – News that Chris Paul has expressed his interest in leaving New Orleans to join forces with another superstar in the NBA has Hornets’ fans reeling and other fans across the country licking their chops – can anyone say the Knicks? With speculation reaching fever levels, the largest most successful sportsbook on the web, BetUS.com posted odds on all things Chris Paul movement.
Analysts at BetUS.com posted the following odds on the future of Chris Paul:
Where will Chris Paul land?
- New York Knicks 5/9
- Orlando Magic 6/5
- LA Lakers 2/1
- Chicago Bulls 3/1
- Denver Nuggets 4/1
- New Jersey Nets 8/1
- Dallas Mavericks 10/1
July 27th, 2010 12:31:36 AM UTC | Posted in Basketball, BetUS, Futures by admin | No Comments
NBA AND NFL FANS FEAR THE WORST AS REPORTS SURFACE OF UNREST BETWEEN PLAYERS, OWNERS, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE LEAGUES
NEW YORK, NY – – All summer fans have had to deal with reports of potential lockouts or strikes in both the NBA and the NFL. With little knowledgeable sources to turn to save for sensationalistic media outlets that cloud the facts, fans are once again turning to the largest most successful sportsbook on the web, BetUS.com for some answers regarding both leagues.
Analysts at BetUS.com posted the following odds on potential NBA and NFL strikes/lockouts:
Odds on NBA lockout
Yes 4/1
No 1/7
Odds on NBA strike
Yes 5/2
No 1/4
Odds on NFL lockout
Yes 3/1
No 1/5
Odds on NFL strike
Yes 5/2
No 1/4
Super Bowl Cancelled
Yes 10/1
NBA Finals Cancelled
Yes 8/1
July 26th, 2010 8:23:34 PM UTC | Posted in Basketball, BetUS, Football by admin | No Comments
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