Suns and Spurs kick off series in the desert

Basketball Betting Lines

05/03/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Western Conference semifinals matchup between the Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs figures to be a clash of styles with a pair of teams that are intimately familiar with each other.

In recent years, the Suns were beaten by San Antonio in a 2008 first-round matchup and a 2007 semifinal series. Overall the two franchises have matched up nine times in the postseason with the Spurs winning six, including the last four.

The latest incarnation of the rivalry kicks off tonight as Phoenix welcomes San Antonio to US Airways Center.

"There's great history between us and the Spurs over the past five, six years," said Suns All-Star forward Amare Stoudemire. "It's going to be a great matchup between us and also myself and Tim Duncan. We always take the challenge of playing against each other. So it's going to be another great challenge for us. The Spurs play well in the postseason."

The high-flying Suns will want to push the ball and score in transition, using the incredible playmaking skills of former two-time MVP Steve Nash.

San Antonio, although possessing a quick point guard of its own in Tony Parker, would prefer to walk things up, limit possessions and force Phoenix into a half-court game.

The team that is able to impose its will likely will come put on top.

"It's hard to slow down when you play Phoenix," former NBA coach Doug Collins said. "If we got into rush hour traffic tomorrow and cars were driving fast you'd drive fast with them."

The third-seeded Suns reached the Western semis by downing the banged-up Trail Blazers in six games, clinching things in Portland on Thursday.

The Spurs, meanwhile, became the first seven seed to upset a No. 2 since the NBA went to a best-of-seven first round format in 2003, when they took out in- state rival Dallas in six games.

"We took a pretty good punch," Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said after dispensing of the Mavs. "For me that was my favorite part of the game, to see the guys continue to persevere and pursue the basketball. They continued to play hard. They stuck together."

On the injury front for Phoenix, center Robin Lopez hasn't played since March 26 due to a bulging disk in his back but was able to take place in part of the team's practice on Sunday. The 7-footer is set to be examined by a specialist before the contest tonight and could play a few minutes.

"I feel a lot better but I still have a ways to go," Lopez told ESPN. "I just started running and you can kind of tell that a little bit."

The Suns haven't beaten San Antonio in the postseason since 2000 and the Spurs have compiled a 16-6 record in the last four playoff matchups between the two clubs. In fact, the last three times San Antonio has won the NBA championship, the team topped the Suns along the way.

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Kurt Warner to start, Matt Leinart to watch

Despite the debate that's swirling , Kurt Warner will remain the starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals, coach Dennis Green said today. The Arizona Cardinals are the +7 point underdog at online sportsbook MySportsbook.com for this Sunday's game.

Green's comment came in a statement released by the team following an ESPN report that Green decided that rookie Matt Leinart would replace Warner as starter for Sunday's game at Atlanta.

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To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on football needs.

SPORTS BETTING

NFL Football Betting Online

In terms of sports wagering, the NFL is "the most popular game in town." The explanation behind that is easy.

It is called the "pointspread."

Many years ago, NFL games, as well as the more popular college games, used straight odds as a vehicle for betting. For example, if the Bears were playing the Giants, and it shaped up as a competitive contest, the Bears might be, say, a 7/5 favorite. If they were playing an also-ran, it might be 10/1. Well, there is a point where a line becomes prohibitive, as far as betting the favorite. And who would waste money betting an underdog that has virtually no chance? Such a setup did not contribute to promoting betting action.

But in modern sports betting, a "pointspread" is used.

A NFL pointspreads are exactly that, a pre-established point difference between the two sides that will, for all intents and purposes, create a handicap that evens things out, and in doing so, produces comparable wagering activity on both sides of that proposition. So in lieu of a odds figure in which to bet the team to win outright, the Bears might be a three-point favorite over the New York Giants, and a 17-point favorite over the also-ran. Now that the team that is the underdog can "get" points, there can be equal action on both sides.

In sportsbooks, this is usually done with efficiency by charging the losing bettors 10% extra - in effect, bettors are laying 11/10 on those games. So they are actually betting $110 to win $100. If they lose, they pay the "vig." If they win, they simply collect.

The establishment of the pointspread as the corner stone around which team sports like football can be wagered upon was truly what brought gridiron betting into the stratosphere for online football betting .

Don't believe it? Just take a look at what happens around the Super Bowl.

Stay with us here as we take you through the best in NFL action on a consistent basis, with advice columns as well as handicapping selections. If you're looking for college football betting, that's in our NCAA section, which you can reach by clicking here. And if you're looking for a different kind of football, such as the Canadian Football League, which we'll deal with occasionally, or the Arena Football League, which we really like, you can find it in our Miscellaneous section by clicking

Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting odds .
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