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02/14/2012 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Houston Rockets will wrap up a six-game road trip tonight against the Southwest Division-rival Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum.
The Rockets are 3-2 on the journey and suffered a 106-97 loss at Golden State the last time out on Sunday in Oakland, where Kevin Martin led five players in double-digit scoring with 28 points on 7-of-16 shooting. Luis Scola had 14 points, while both Chandler Parsons and Courtney Lee netted 11 points.
Kyle Lowry finished with 10 points and nine assists for the Rockets, who had a three-game winning streak stopped and fell to 6-9 away from Space City. Lowry has handed out at least eight assists in 15 games this season.
"It just seemed to me like...we were playing in eight inches of water," Rockets coach Kevin McHale said. "We just couldn't get going."
McHale's squad was held to a season-low 31 field goals (31-of-75), but also made a season-high 11 three-pointers (11-of-29). On the milestone watch, Scola (4,998) needs just two points to reach 5,000 for his career. Lee has reached double figures in scoring over a season-high four consecutive games.
Following tonight's game in Memphis, the Rockets will head back to the Lone Star State for a six-game residency versus Oklahoma City, Minnesota, Utah, Memphis, Philadelphia and Toronto.
The Grizzlies will put the finishing touches on a five-game homestand Tuesday and look to rebound from a recent loss versus the Jazz.
In Sunday's 98-88 setback to Utah, Rudy Gay scored a team-best 22 points and both Marc Gasol and Mike Conley posted 17 apiece for the Grizzlies, who had a two-game winning streak stopped and lost for the eighth time in 12 tries.
"We have to get better at a lot of things," Gay admitted.
Tony Allen scored 12 points in a losing cause for Memphis. The Grizzlies, who fell back to .500 at 14-14 this season, are a decent 9-5 on Beale Street this season and will pay a visit to New Jersey on Wednesday after their homestand. After playing nine of the past 12 games on the road, Memphis is in the midst of playing seven of eight games at home, including this five-game homestand.
Memphis is 13-11 since Zach Randolph has been sidelined with a torn right MCL and defeated Houston, 113-93, back on Dec. 30 this season at FedEx Forum. Randolph finished with 23 points and nine rebounds in that one and Gasol added 20 points and eight boards. Martin scored 21 points to lead the Rockets, who have still won 12 of the last 16 meetings between the Southwest foes.
<< Heat finish hectic stretch in Indy
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Miami Heat try to continue one of their best starts in
team history this evening when they visit the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life
Fieldhouse.
Miami kept rolling on Monday, as LeBron James scored 35 points to lead the
<< Hornets' Gordon sidelined six weeks after surgery
New Orleans, LA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New Orleans Hornets guard Eric Gordon is
expected to be sidelined for six weeks after undergoing arthroscopic knee
surgery on Tuesday.
The Hornets said the procedure was performed "to clean up his r
<< Anderson passes first-round test in San Jose
San Jose, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Fifth-seeded Kevin Anderson outlasted Grigor
Dimitrov of Bulgaria, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-3) in first-round action at the
SAP Open on Monday.
Dimitrov cruised in the first set before losing a second-set t
<< Canucks edge Coyotes in lengthy shootout
Vancouver, BC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ryan Kesler scored the game-winning goal in
the sixth round of the shootout as the Vancouver Canucks edged the Phoenix
Coyotes, 2-1, at Rogers Arena.
Kesler moved in slowly and fired a quick wrist sho
Lin leads Knicks into Toronto >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Linsanity goes north of the border this evening when Jeremy
Lin and the New York Knicks shoot for a sixth straight win against the Toronto
Raptors at Air Canada Centre.
One night after netting a career-best 38 points
Jazz close out stretch in Oklahoma City >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Utah just might be a sitting duck when it finishes a
grueling three games in three nights road stretch tonight in Oklahoma City.
The Jazz lost to the Thunder, 101-87, in Salt Lake City last Friday and has
played
Suns, Nuggets clash at Pepsi Center >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Denver halted one losing streak on the road in its last
outing and will now try to stop its longest skid at home in nearly a decade
when they play host to the Phoenix Suns.
Ty Lawson scored 27 points on Saturday
Blazers try to halt home skid vs. Wizards >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Portland Trail Blazers will try to halt a rare losing
streak at the Rose Garden when they play host to a Washington Wizards team
coming in off its second road victory.
The Blazers had been a gaudy 11-1 in Rip Ci
BILLS (+10) at Steelers SPORTSBOOK LINES
It's impossible to gauge how a team will react after something like the Steve Everett situation, and it probably doesn't matter. That being said, the Bills are going to lose several games this year where they keep things close but fall short in the end to superior teams. Ben Roethlisberger and company could have a field day against Buffalo's decimated defense, but I like the Bills to cover.
BENGALS (-7) at Browns SPORTSBOOK LINES
All you can ask out of your NFL team is that it has a plan. You may not always agree with it as a fan, but as long as it appears the organization is going in some sort of direction, you have to go with it. Which brings us to the Cleveland Browns. You flip a coin to determine whether Chuck Frye or Derek Anderson should start the preseason opener. You start Frye in Week 1, but pull him in the first half. And then you deal him to the Seahawks for a sixth-round pick? Hmm... the Bengals could get six turnovers again this week.
COLTS (-7) at Titans SPORTSBOOK LINES
Tennessee signed ex-Colts cornerback Nick Harper in the offseason so that should help slow down Peyton Manning. Just ask Jason David and the Saints. Oh wait... One of these weeks, I'm going to learn to not pick against Tennessee, which has won seven of its last eight games. But it's not happening against Indy.
TEXANS (+6.5) at Panthers SPORTSBOOK LINES
Houston's Mario Williams, the first pick in the '06 draft, has more touchdowns than Reggie Bush after one week. Somehow I don't see that lasting. Meanwhile, Carolina bottled up what was expected to be a pretty high-octane offense in St. Louis in Week 1. Could this be the Panthers' defense everyone expected last year? Maybe. This feels like a 20-16 Carolina win.
RAMS (-3) vs. 49ers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Absolutely love this game. Everyone's favorite pick for this year's surprise team -- the 49ers -- laid an egg on Monday night (not that anyone was watching with the game ending in the middle of the night for those of us on the East Coast). St. Louis wasn't much better, delivering a lackluster effort against the Panthers that included two Steven Jackson fumbles and panic from his fantasy owners. Jackson rebounds this week, and the Rams get their first win.
PACKERS (+1.5) at Giants SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Do you really trust this guy to win an NFL game if Eli Manning can't go? I say no. I'd feel alot better about this Packers team if it had any semblance of a running game, but I still think Green Bay's defense is good enough to give it a 2-0 start.
JAGUARS (-10) vs. Falcons SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Does it scare me to pick Jacksonville to cover a double-digit spread after it scored just 10 points last week against the Titans? Absolutely. But can I bring myself to pick Atlanta under any circumstances? No. Check out this poll on ajc.com. It asks what Atlanta's most urgent deficiency is: offense, defense, specials teams or all of the above. "All of the above" has 57 percent of the votes. Ouch.
SAINTS (-3) at Buccaneers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
I'm picking way too many road teams this week. Oh well. New Orleans has had some time to reflect on its lackluster showing in the opener, and the Buccanneers just aren't a very good football team. Anyone else surprised Tampa Bay hasn't made a move to sign Byron Leftwich? I thought that's what they do.
VIKINGS (+3) at Lions SPORTS BETTING LINES
Run the ball and stop the run. Minnesota can do both, and that will keep them in a lot of games this season. Even though it was only one week, Adrian Peterson looks like he was a steal at No. 7 in last year's draft. Not only will he produce, but Peterson delivers excitement to what otherwise would be one of the league's most boring teams.
DOLPHINS (+3.5) vs. Cowboys SPORTS BETTING LINES
Lost in the Tony Romo lovefest is just how bad the Cowboys' defense was last week. I know they're banged up, but Dallas' 'D' allowed 438 yards to the Giants' offense, and backup running back Derrick Ward averaged 6.8 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Cam Cameron's decision to split carries between Ronnie Brown and Jesse Chatman sounds about as can't-miss as Larry David's plan to show up to Marty Funkhouser's party a night late. Still, gotta go with Miami to cover at home.
SEAHAWKS (-2.5) at Cardinals SPORTS BETTING LINES
I'm probably missing something, but this game seems too easy. Arizona blew Monday night's game against the 49ers in typical Cardinals fashion, and the Seahawks beat Tampa Bay by two touchdowns. Love Seattle in this one.
BRONCOS (-9.5) vs. Raiders SPORTS BETTING LINES
Special teams was a major story line in Week 1. Take a look at the Broncos. They had to rush on to the field to get a Jason Elam field goal as time expired against the Bills. Denver drove into Buffalo territory on eight of 10 drives but came away with just a pair of field goals and a touchdown. Look for more scoring from the Broncos this week against an Oakland defense that gave up 36 points to Detroit in Week 1.
BEARS (-12) vs. Chiefs SPORTS BETTING LINES
Everyone talks about Rex Grossman when dissecting the Bears' offense, but Chicago's quarterback got no help in last week's loss to the Chargers. Meanwhile, Kansas City confirmed what we all thought while watching Hard Knocks: The Chiefs are going to stink this year. It could be a rough first month for Larry Johnson fantasy owners. Kansas City's RB was limited to 43 yards on 10 carries in Week 1, and the Chiefs face the Bears, Vikings and Chargers the next three weeks, all formidable run defenses.
RAVENS (-10) vs. Jets SPORTS BETTING LINES
A big dose of Willis McGahee and a usual sound defensive effort will give the Ravens their first win. According to Football Outsiders, no team in the NFL rushed only three defenders on pass plays last year more than the Jets. And according to my special Jets correspondent Ben Stauber, New York did the same in Week 1. Whoever starts at quarterback for the Ravens should have all day to throw.
PATRIOTS (-3) vs. Chargers
Friends and I were discussing how Bill Belichick goes about paying his $500,000 fine for cheating. Does he just write one check to the NFL? Do you need some sort of clearance to make such a monstrous financial transaction? I guess I shouldn't complain about the security deposit I have to put down on my new apartment. Anyway, two of the league's best teams square off in what should be a good one Sunday night. The Patriots always respond well just when you think they're in trouble. And their offensive attack was the story in Week 1.
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting.
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