Bulls aim to continue road success in Boston

Basketball Betting Lines

02/12/2012 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The East-leading Chicago Bulls shoot for their sixth straight win when they finish a grueling nine-game road trip at TD Garden vs. the Boston Celtics.

The Bulls, who have the NBA's best record at 23-6, hope to have Derrick Rose back in the lineup this afternoon. The reigning league MVP rested his ailing back against woeful Charlotte on Friday and Chicago still made it look easy by posting a 95-64 rout over the Bobcats in the Queen City.

Joakim Noah recorded a double-double of 17 points and 14 rebounds for the Bulls, who improved to an impressive 6-2 on their trip and became the first team to win four consecutive road games by at least 20 points. Carlos Boozer totaled 16 points and six boards in the lopsided win.

C.J. Watson started in place of Rose and contributed seven points, five assists and four steals.

"I think you have to learn how to play with a lead, you've got to play tough with a lead," said Chicago head coach Tom Thibodeau.

The Celtics, meanwhile, lost their second straight contest on Friday in Toronto, falling to the Raptors 86-74. It was a modicum of revenge for Toronto, which was routed by the Celtics 100-64 back on Feb. 1

Kevin Garnett paced the Celtics with 17 points to go with eight rebounds, while Paul Pierce added 12 points and five assists in defeat.

The Raptors came out of the gate on fire. A balanced attack led by DeMar DeRozan (nine first-quarter points), Jose Calderon (eight) and James Johnson (eight) was highlighted by a floating alley-oop from Calderon to DeRozan that capped off a 14-4 start in favor of Toronto. Boston ended up scoring a season- low 14 points in the first quarter.

"Awful. Just awful," said Celtics coach Doc Rivers when asked about the first frame. "I was really frustrated."

Celtics center Jermaine O'Neal did not play against the Raptors with a sore left shoulder and remains questionable for today's game.

Chicago has won three straight over Boston, including a 88-79 triumph in Beantown back on Jan. 13.

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Terrell Owens could return for Cowboys next game
A bye week will allow Terrell Owens broken hand to recover just in time for the next game the Dallas Cowboys are slated to play, according to reports. MySportsbook.com, an football sportsbook, has posted football betting lines on TO playing.

Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger Sunday night and had a plate surgically attached to it Monday. Although Owens' hand was swollen and aching Wednesday, Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said he's optimistic the receiver will be back at work next week and catching passes a week from Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

MySportsbook.com online sportsbook listed Terrell Owens with odds of 7-2 (or $7 paid out for every $2 bet) to return back for the game against Tennessee.

"I certainly wouldn't rule it out now," Parcells said, referring to Terrell Owens immediate return. "Maybe five days from now I might, but I wouldn't rule it out now. ... I know we're looking to try to get him moving around pretty good in the next day or so. So we'll see where we are."

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Mayweather picked to beat De La Hoya
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA -- Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya and his rival Floyd Mayweather Jr. arrived at the MGM Grand here Wednesday amid the pomp and pandemonium befitting two of the biggest stars in the sport who are about to duke it out for the WBC super welterweight crown this Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

As of Wednesday, MySportsbook.com closed its book with Mayweather a favorite to defeat De La Hoya at -170 (a $100 bet wins $70), while De La Hoya is a +140 underdog (a $100 bet wins $140).

Mayweather arrived at about 11:30 a.m. on a big truck with his face and a big "World's Best Pound-for-Pound" sign scribbled across the vehicle. He was accompanied by his entourage made up of rappers and his training team.

A crowd of close to 3,000 eager fans packed the MGM Grand lobby, with their cameras in tow, all trying to vie for position to get a good angle at Mayweather, who is acknowledged as the world's best fighter pound-for-pound.

Eric Gomez, Golden Boy Promotions vice-president, described the fan turnout as "amazing" and swore he had never seen anything quite like this event.

"The crowd was fantastic. Everybody was just too eager to see the two fighters," said ALA manager Michael Aldeguer, who was among those who waited at the lobby together with his ward Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista and AJ Banal.

De La Hoya made his own grand entrance at the hotel lobby at around 12:30 p.m. accompanied by GBP chief executive officer Richard Schaefer and trainer Freddie Roach.

The same group of fans who trooped to see Mayweather also lingered around to get a close look at De La Hoya, who has been secretly working out at a Las Vegas gym for days after arriving from his main training camp in Puerto Rico.

The golden boy then took part in a closed-door afternoon workout with Bautista and Banal. The two, along with Aldeguer and wife Christine, as well as an HBO crew were the only ones allowed inside the gym.

De La Hoya and Mayweather take part in today's final press conference before the official weigh-in this Friday.

Ring Magazine, the acknowledged bible of boxing, reported in its June 2007 issue that 12 out of 20 boxing experts it interviewed have favored Mayweather to defeat De la Hoya, with only 8 favoring the latter.

But Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao said in a recent interview with The Freeman's Emmanuel Villaruel that De La Hoya will win by unanimous decision over Mayweather.

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