Blazers try to extend home win streak vs. Clippers

Basketball Betting Lines

02/22/2009 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Portland Trail Blazers will shoot for their eighth straight home win tonight when they close out a three-game residency versus the Los Angeles Clippers from the Rose Garden.

Portland has won the first two tests of the homestand and improved to 22-5 as the host following Friday's 108-98 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. Star guard Brandon Roy finished with 27 points, seven rebounds and five assists in leading the Blazers to victory.

LaMarcus Aldridge added 24 points and 11 rebounds for Portland, which has won four of its last five overall contests and got 19 points off the bench from Rudy Fernandez. The Trail Blazers are currently 2 1/2 games behind Denver for the top spot in the Northwest standings.

Center Greg Oden missed Friday's game with a chip fracture in his left patella and is questionable versus the Clippers.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles has dropped two in a row and three of its last four games, including Wednesday's 142-119 decision to the Phoenix Suns in the back end of a home-and-home series at Staples Center.

Al Thornton scored a team-high 33 points for the Clippers, who were without Zach Randolph. Randolph was suspended for two games after punching Phoenix' Louis Amundson on Tuesday. Eric Gordon had 23 points and Baron Davis contributed 14 in defeat.

Davis (leg) and Thornton (foot) are probable for Sunday's game and center Marcus Camby is listed as questionable against Portland because of an inner ear infection. The Clippers are 7-21 as the guest in 2008-09.

The 2008-09 season series between LA and Portland is tied at a game apiece, while the Clippers have won eight of the last 13 meetings between the clubs. The Clips, however, have lost 14 of 18 and 26 of their last 31 trips to the Rose City.

Mertocasino Basketball Betting News

<< Tsonga tops Llodra for Marseille crown
Marseille, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jo-Wilfried Tsonga earned a straight-set victory over fellow Frenchman Michael Llodra to capture the Open 13 tennis event. The fourth-seeded Tsonga posted a 7-5, 7-6 (7-3) victory in Sunday's final

<< Magic host rival Heat in Orlando
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Southeast Division-leading Orlando Magic will host the rival Miami Heat this evening at Amway Arena. Orlando has alternated wins and losses over its last nine games and posted a 92-80 triumph at Charlotte on Frida

<< Rockets resume homestand vs. Bobcats
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Houston Rockets will continue their six-game homestand Sunday versus the Charlotte Bobcats at the Toyota Center. Houston has won the first three tests of the residency and four of five overall, including Friday

<< Gentry's Suns welcome Celtics to town
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Phoenix Suns interim head coach Alvin Gentry is off to a hot start in the desert and will try to guide the team to a fourth consecutive win tonight versus the Boston Celtics at US Airways Center. Gentry is 3-0 since t

<< Nuggets close out trip in Milwaukee
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Northwest Division-leading Denver Nuggets will close out an eight-game road trip this evening versus the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center. Denver is 5-2 so far on the trek and 17-12 away from the Pepsi

Lakers carry top record into Minnesota >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Lakers will take the NBA's best record to the road for two straight games, starting with Sunday's tilt against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center. The Lakers are an impressive 45-10

Pistons try to end slide in Cleveland >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The struggling Detroit Pistons will kick off a grueling five-game road trip Sunday night against LeBron James and the Central Division-rival Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Detroit has lost five

Astros C Hall to have shoulder surgery >>
Kissimmee, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Houston Astros catcher Toby Hall has decided to undergo surgery to repair a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder. Hall met with members of Houston's medical staff and Astros general manager Ed Wade to discu

Celtic slip keeps Rangers on top >>
Motherwell, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Celtic was unable to return to the top of the Scottish Premier League table on Sunday as the Hoops were held to a 1-1 draw by Motherwell at Fir Park Stadium. Scott McDonald opened the scoring for

Reds sit seven back after City draw >>
Liverpool, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Liverpool's title hopes took another hit on Sunday as the club was held to a 1-1 draw with Manchester City at Anfield. The result leaves the Reds seven points back of leaders Manchester United with 12 g

Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.

Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.

MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .

''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''

Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.

He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.

''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''

Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.

Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.

With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.

Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.