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Oklahoma City Thunder in Must-Win Game 3 Against San Antonio Spurs


Late-game domination has been the key to the San Antonio Spurs during their impressive playoff run in 2012, and for tonight’s showdown against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals, another clutch 4th quarter performance could all but seal the deal on the Spurs return to battle for the NBA Championship. Looking to grab a commanding 3-0 series lead with a road win tonight, San Antonio would have the odds clearly stacked in their favor if they can muster their 21st consecutive victory, as no team has recovered from a 3-0 deficit in a 7-game NBA series previously. Therefore, it’s do-or-die time at home tonight for the Oklahoma City Thunder, who get set to host the Spurs for tip-off at 9:00 PM ET from the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

With the Spurs showing their confidence and poise in both Games 1 and 2 of this series, rallying on a 39-point 4th quarter in Game 1 and shooting north of 60 percent from the field and from 3-point range in the second half of Game 2, the onus for tonight’s game for the Thunder is simply to improve the physical nature of their play on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. After giving up 120 points to the Spurs in regulation on Tuesday night, Oklahoma City must regroup and get an understanding that they cannot expect to keep pace simply by going tit-for-tat on offense with the Spurs, who are a better shooting veteran team with more weapons at their disposal in this series. Allowing San Antonio to shoot 55 percent from the floor once again tonight is simply not an option for head coach Scott Brook’s team, so the emphasis has to come on shutting down at least a couple of the Spurs top scorers, namely Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli. Ginobli has averaged 23 points a night over two games in this series, and with another 20-plus point effort tonight, he’ll certainly help take the pressure off Tony Parker and Tim Duncan to come up with the big contributions on the road this evening. Parker on the other hand, who scored 34 points in Game 2 on an absurd shooting night (16-21 from the floor), cannot be allowed to shoot at will from just inside the perimeter. He has the hottest hand in the playoffs, and the most confidence coming into tonight’s match-up, so a better perimeter defensive effort from guys like Derek Fisher, Russell Westbrook and James Harden is essential to allow OKC to fight back in this series. They have to be more physical with Parker and Ginobli, keep them off-balance for outside shots, and prevent them from penetrating the lanes as easily as they have been. Keep Parker and Ginobli off their game, and OKC has a chance yet in this series. Let them go free tonight, and the Thunder might as well kiss their playoff run goodbye.

The battle inside the paint is another crucial area for both teams this evening, and for the Spurs they’ll have to be ready for a much more physical and taxing game around the hoop, as the Thunder’s game plan will no doubt center around playing more aggressively inside the key. Again, while OKC was able to win the points in the paint battle for Game 2 (46-42), and the fast break offense was certainly working well (26 points to Spurs 10), the lack of scoring presence and physical play from guys like Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka is preventing the Thunder from keeping pace with the Spurs, especially in the closing moments of the last two games. Here’s a scary breakdown: James Harden, who dropped 30 points coming off the bench in Game 2, outscored all the rest of the Thunder combined, excluding Westbrook and Durant. Those three accounted for 88 out of the team’s 111 points, or 79 percent of total production. The inside players, Ibaka, Perkins, Nick Collison and Nazr Mohammed combined to generate just 11 points in Game 2. Though neither Mohammed nor Collison logged more than 10 minutes, the fact remains that OKC is not getting any production or quality minutes aside from their main stars. Against a San Antonio team that is spreading the wealth of scoring around night after night, the Thunder can’t expect to get a leg up without contributions from some players other than the Big Three, and it’s critical that someone at the four or five position stand up and score in double digits to even out the offensive load.

Betting Lines for Oklahoma City Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs at Betonline Sportsbook.

Though San Antonio rides in to OKC on a 20-game winning streak, and has averaged 104.1 points per game during this year’s playoff run, they find themselves as underdogs on the road tonight at +165 odds straight up on the money line. The Thunder, with everything on the line at home tonight, are -190 favorites to pick up the win and make this series more interesting.

Against the spread, OKC gets -4 points at -110 odds as favorites, while San Antonio pickers will get 4 points to play with betting on the Spurs as underdogs. This seems a tantalizing offer for backing San Antonio, especially considering their ability to close out games late in the 4th quarter. Even if OKC manages to control the game and secure a win, you can bet that the hot-shooting hands of the Spurs are going to keep this game very close near the final buzzer.

For the over/under, the total points line has again increased for a third consecutive time, and for this contest tonight a massive 206 1/2 points is the mark to stay within or bust through. Can the Thunder finally step up and show some defensive presence tonight? Survey says: No they cannot. No doubt the bookmakers are smarting from the 202 points offered on Game 2 (which resulted in 231 points in total and over 70 percent of the wagers going for the over bet), so their upping the line tonight with the hopes of getting more takers to go over in a high-scoring series. Something simply has to change on defense tonight though, especially if the Thunder wish to avoid a 3-game deficit in this series, so expect to see a lot more under pickers in this critical match-up in Oklahoma City.

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NBA Playoffs Top Short List of Sportsbook Betting Options at Betonline

It’s a relatively quiet day on the sports front this Thursday, with Major League Baseball slowing down its offerings ahead of the upcoming new weekend series and NHL Hockey taking a two-day hiatus after last night’s exciting Game 1 between the Los Angeles Kings and the New Jersey Devils, however with the NBA Conference Finals alive and well, sports fans should certainly have something to get behind for wagering at one of the top reviewed sportsbooks found at CR. Jumping into yet another of the best online sportsbooks today, we’ll take a trip to the Betonline Sportsbook, a staple for betting on sports over the past few years. If you’re new to online sports betting, this is THE place to start off, with a 45 percent initial bonus being offered on your first deposit. Featuring some of the quickest page load times in the industry, one of our favorite sports betting interfaces, as well as a handy stats center to keep you informed of the breakdown on teams and current match-ups, Betonline is a perfect destination to get your wagering feet wet, or a great place to jump to if you’re in the market to improve your sportsbook betting experience.

Jumping right in to the first wagering option of the day, the NBA Western Conference Finals showdown between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder is what’s on everyone’s radar, as the series shifts to Oklahoma City for a crucial Game 3. There is no question this is do-or-die time for the Thunder, who after dropping the first two games of this series only have a 6 percent chance at making it to the NBA finals now. Historically, they’ll have a zero percent chance if they fail to win on their home court tonight, against a Spurs team that seems almost unstoppable in their quest for a fifth NBA championship. It’s been impressive to see defense completely go out the window, and San Antonio still remain the team with the advantage, especially considering the high-scoring offensive capabilities of an OKC team led by Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. What the Spurs have been doing though, is getting everyone in the line-up involved in the scoring, as only Tony Parker has averaged more than 20 points per game in the playoffs (20.5) and only 3 players are averaging in double figures, but still the team is putting up an impressive 104.1 points per night. Oklahoma’s lack of defense certainly didn’t have much of a problem during the regular season, but against a team like San Antonio, who put up 120 points in regulation against them on Tuesday night, it’s becoming evident that even a high-scoring team like the Thunder, who are averaging just over 100 points per game during this year’s playoffs, cannot hope to contend merely by trying to outscore their opponent. Something simply has to change in the game plan for OKC tonight at home, where the Thunder are favorites to win at -190 odds straight up, and get 4 points to try and cover against the spread at -110 odds. For Spurs backers that see no sign of letting up though, this could be a great opportunity to continue to roll with San Antonio on their record-setting winning streak, as they’ll have +165 odds as underdogs despite not losing a game since April 11th.

Checking out the three options for Major League Baseball bets at Betonline today, there’s a couple of quality pitching match-ups that stand out for betting on sports, in the series finale between the Detroit Tigers and the Boston Red Sox, as well as the finish of a 4-game set between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers. For the first pairing tonight in the Sox v. Tigers match-up, catch a battle between Detroit’s Max Scherzer (4-3, 5.67 ERA) and Josh Beckett (4-4, 4.15 ERA), as both pitchers continue to recover from rough starts to the 2012 campaign. Beckett has been markedly improving over his last three outings, allowing just 3 runs in 21 and 2/3 innings of work, while Sherzer has also stepped up, striking out 24 batters in his last two outings, keeping the runs to 3 or less in his last two showings. As Boston looks to sweep the Tigers out of town though, this looks to be a great opportunity to bank on Beckett and the home team, who at -135 odds straight up and +145 odds to cover 1.5 runs, look to be a solid wagering opportunity tonight. For the second match-up, a rare 4-game road sweep for the Brewers is on the horizon against the MLB’s top team the LA Dodgers, who have failed to generate offense at home without Matt Kemp in the line-up. After missing the first two games and reinjuring a hamstring last night, Kemp will once again be out of the lineup tonight, and once again LA may struggle to put runs on the board unless they can find a way to get to Zach Greinke, who was rocked in his last road start at Arizona on Saturday (2.1 innings, 7 earned runs allowed). For LA, starting pitcher Chad Billingsley has been steadily improving over his last 3 starts, and will need to be on point for the Dodgers, who haven’t scored more than 3 runs in the 3 games so far during this series. Los Angeles will be a slight underdog at +106 odds to win straight up, and Milwaukee a -116 favorite to win despite Greinke’s shaky road form. Make sure to catch all the odds for this game, as well as those on the Tigers v. Boston series finale (not to forget the other game available today between the Houston Astros and Colorado Rockies), and choose your bets carefully on a day of shortened MLB offerings.

Also keep in mind that you can stay updated with all the sports news and get exclusive sportsbook bonus offers, by signing up for our sports betting newsletter. Have a great day of online sports betting at Betonline Sportsbook or any of the other top reviewed sportsbooks found here, and we hope to catch you around our site again soon!

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Denver Nuggets 2006-2007 – ATS History

Game Date Opponent Score SU Line ATS Over/Under
11/02/2006 at LA Clippers 95-96 L +3.5 W U 208
11/03/2006 vs. Minnesota 109-112 L -5 L O 199
11/08/2006 vs. New York 107-109 L -10.5 L O 213.5
11/10/2006 at Philadelphia 108-101 W +2.5 W O 206
11/12/2006 at Charlotte 108-101 W -4 W O 203.5
11/14/2006 at Miami 112-105 W +5 W O 199
11/15/2006 at Orlando 99-108 L +5 L P 207
11/18/2006 vs. Toronto 117-109 W -9.5 L O 215
11/21/2006 vs. Chicago 113-109 W -3.5 W O 205.5
11/22/2006 at Golden State 115-112 W +3 W O 216
11/24/2006 vs. Golden State 140-129 W -5 W O 219.5
11/26/2006 vs. LA Clippers 103-88 W -5 W U 214
11/28/2006 vs. Memphis 96-108 L -9 L P 204
12/01/2006 at Minnesota 106-92 W +1.5 W U 206
12/02/2006 vs. Indiana 121-101 W -7 W O 212
12/06/2006 vs. Atlanta 96-98 L -10 L U 213
12/08/2006 vs. Miami 123-107 W -9 W O 207.5
12/09/2006 at Dallas 90-105 L +8.5 L U 213
12/12/2006 at Atlanta 100-87 W -8.5 W U 208
12/13/2006 at Washington 91-120 L +2.5 L U 221.5
12/15/2006 at Boston 114-119 L -3 L O 213
12/16/2006 at New York 123-100 W -4.5 W O 214.5
12/18/2006 vs. Washington 117-108 W +3.5 W O 212
12/20/2006 vs. Phoenix
12/22/2006 vs. Sacramento 96-101 L -2.5 L U 213.5
12/26/2006 vs. Boston 116-105 W -6 W O 210
12/28/2006 vs. Oklahoma City 112-98 W -8.5 W U 213.5
12/29/2006 at New Orleans 89-99 L -3.5 L U 199.5
12/31/2006 vs. Dallas 85-89 L +2.5 L U 206.5
01/02/2007 vs. Philadelphia 97-108 L -7 L O 204
01/05/2007 at LA Lakers 104-123 L +6 L O 217
01/06/2007 vs. Utah 84-96 L +3 L U 208.5
01/08/2007 vs. Milwaukee 104-92 W -4 W U 210
01/10/2007 vs. San Antonio 83-92 L +4.5 L U 200
01/12/2007 vs. Houston 86-90 L +2.5 L U 188.5
01/14/2007 at Portland 109-93 W +1 W O 191.5
01/19/2007 vs. Cleveland 110-99 W -1 W O 195
01/20/2007 at Houston 121-113 W +7 W O 192
01/22/2007 vs. Memphis 115-98 W -12 W U 233
01/23/2007 at Oklahoma City 117-112 W -2.5 W O 215.5
01/26/2007 at Utah 111-116 L +2.5 L O 217.5
01/27/2007 vs. New Jersey 102-112 L -7 L O 210
01/29/2007 vs. Charlotte 101-105 L -10.5 L U 213
01/31/2007 at Portland 91-100 L -2.5 L U 202.5
02/02/2007 vs. Portland 114-107 W -10 L O 202
02/03/2007 at Sacramento 87-94 L +7 P U 210.5
02/05/2007 vs. Phoenix 108-113 L +7.5 W O 220.5
02/07/2007 vs. New Orleans 112-114 L -5.5 L O 201.5
02/09/2007 at Indiana 102-95 W +7.5 W U 206
02/10/2007 at Milwaukee 109-102 W +2 W O 209.5
02/12/2007 vs. Golden State 123-111 W -9.5 W O 219
02/14/2007 at Minnesota 94-99 L +4 L U 207
02/20/2007 at San Antonio 80-95 L +7 L U 203
02/23/2007 vs. Utah 104-114 L -3.5 L O 214.5
02/24/2007 at Dallas 95-115 L +10.5 L O 206.5
02/26/2007 at Memphis 111-107 W -3 W U 222.5
02/28/2007 vs. Orlando 111-101 W -5.5 W O 204
03/02/2007 vs. Houston 97-108 L -2.5 L O 199.5
03/06/2007 vs. New Orleans 106-91 W -6 W U 207.5
03/07/2007 at Golden State 96-110 L +6.5 L U 216.5
03/09/2007 vs. Detroit 82-95 L 0 L U 198.5
03/11/2007 at Sacramento 113-101 W +3.5 W O 212
03/13/2007 vs. Portland 107-99 W -7.5 W O 203
03/15/2007 vs. LA Lakers 113-86 W -5 W U 212.5
03/17/2007 vs. Phoenix 131-107 W +1.5 W O 222.5
03/20/2007 at New Jersey 94-90 W -1.5 W U 210.5
03/22/2007 at Chicago 108-109 L +3 W O 203.5
03/23/2007 at Toronto 94-121 L +3 L O 208.5
03/25/2007 at Cleveland 105-93 W +6 W U 205
03/26/2007 at Detroit 109-113 L +5.5 W O 197.5
03/28/2007 vs. Oklahoma City 97-100 L -11.5 L U 208.5
03/30/2007 at Phoenix 108-125 L +7.5 L O 224
04/01/2007 at Oklahoma City 114-103 W -4 W O 207.5
04/03/2007 at LA Lakers 111-105 W +3.5 W U 217.5
04/04/2007 vs. Sacramento 120-115 W -8.5 L O 214.5
04/06/2007 vs. Dallas 75-71 W +2.5 W U 210.5
04/07/2007 at LA Clippers 96-93 W +5 W U 201
04/09/2007 vs. LA Lakers 115-111 W -6.5 L O 215
04/11/2007 at Utah 115-106 W +1 W O 208.5
04/13/2007 at New Orleans 107-105 W +1.5 W O 206
04/14/2007 at Memphis 118-133 L -6 L O 221
04/16/2007 vs. Minnesota 122-107 W -13.5 W O 218
04/18/2007 at San Antonio 100-77 W +5 W U 196
Records Points
Straight Up: 45-37
Against the Spread: 45-36-1		 Home PF – 4370 (106.6)
Home PA – 4213 (102.8)
Away PF – 4269 (104.1)
Away PA – 4293 (104.7)
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Stanley Cup Finals Game 1: Los Angeles Kings at New Jersey Devils


The New Jersey Devils get set to take home ice tonight at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, for what is certain to be an exciting final showdown for the Stanley Cup Trophy against the Los Angeles Kings. With face-off beginning at 8:00 PM ET between two teams that few expected to make it this far, anything is up for grabs in a series that will feature two very similar styles of hockey play, and two very confident teams that have beaten the best of odds to make it into the final round of NHL action. For online sportsbook betting, get prepared for what should be a wild and intense 7-game series as the best from the West takes on the Beast from the East.

For the Los Angeles Kings, having the first two games on the road may be a blessing in disguise considering they have yet to lose away from home in this year’s playoff run, and have set an NHL record dating back to last year’s playoffs, having accumulated 10 straight road victories. While few could ever imagine that the 8th-seed Kings would become the first team in history to knock off their conference’s #1, #2 and #3 seeded teams en route to going 12-2 in the playoffs to reach the Cup Finals, Kings fans have certainly never been in doubt of what their team was capable of. With the acquisitions of Mike Richards and Jeff Carter this year, LA should have been able to step-up as an offensive powerhouse much earlier on in the regular season, however few would be complaining now with the Kings boasting the top scoring offense through the playoffs that sits just 4 wins away from a goal that has eluded them throughout their franchise history. Helping them to reach that ultimate goal is captain Dustin Brown, the heart and soul of the Kings line-up, who has clearly been a leading candidate for the Conn Smythe trophy, awarded to the most valuable player in the playoffs. Producing 7 goals and 9 assists for 16 points in 14 games, Brown leads on both the offense and defensive side of the puck, with LA taking their cues from him. Sprinkle in some Slovenian playmaking from Anze Kopitar, a resurgent big man in Dustin Penner, and an unlikely hero in Dwight King, a rookie call-up with 5 goals in this year’s playoffs, and you’ve got an LA team that is poised, confident, and ready to do battle with the New Jersey Devils. Oh, and don’t forget that Jonathan Quick guy, who sits behind one of the best defenses in the NHL headed by Drew Doughty, Willie Mitchell and Matt Greene. Quick, a Vezina trophy candidate and another consideration for the Conn Smythe, has numbers which are simply ludicrous in this year’s playoffs; 12-2, 1.54 goals allowed average, 94.6 save percentage. While he’s young and inexperienced at this level, expect the relatively small LA net minder to be rested and ready to make the final push in the final NHL showdown.

Onto the New Jersey Devils, it’s been impressive to watch this team pick apart supposedly more talented units from series to series, and it was the height of their confident play that came out in the final games against the New York Rangers. While the Rangers were a bigger team with arguably more stars and the better goalie, New Jersey’s fast starts to games left the Rangers scratching their heads and resorting to chippy behavior, something that only gave the Devils more of an advantage. Star goal scorer Ilya Kovalchuk is alive and well in the playoffs, generating 18 points on 7 goals and 11 assists. Travis Zajac has come back from a long injury to also produce 7 goals for his team amid an excellent run of form. Finally, Zach Parise has been the rock of the New Jersey line-up, posting 7 goals of his own and helping generate early goals that has taken the wind out of their opponents’ sails. Perhaps the mark of the Devil must be changed from 6-6-6 to 7-7-7. A lucky omen for a team that has hit their lucky streak at just the right time. No doubt though while the Devils offense has been clicking on all cylinders, their defense has been just as good, with Martin Brodeur being the crafty veteran that he is between the pipes, and the Jersey defense operating on a bend-don’t-break philosophy. That philosophy has been easy to execute as the Devils have found their scoring stride early on in hockey games, but they’ll need to be prepared for a Kings team that has had little problem bouncing back from early deficits, and can score seemingly at will with a fleet of fast, big players who will continue to hound anyone with a puck, finish all their checks, and get under the skin of the opposing defense. Nonetheless, expect the Devils to come out fast and put plenty of pucks on net in the early going, to try and deflate the confidence from a Kings team that has been perfect on the road in this year’s playoff run.

Betting Lines for the Los Angeles Kings vs. New Jersey Devils, Game 1 at TopBet Sportsbook.

The Kings and their impressive road game march into the betting lines as slight favorites for Game 1 this evening, getting -120 odds to win straight up, while the New Jersey Devils are at EVEN money for their first game at home. Though the Kings have been flawless on the road in this year’s playoffs, winning 8 straight games against some of the most difficult teams in the league, New Jersey could get sports bettors a solid opportunity to back the first team to overcome the NHL-record setting Kings on the road, if they can jump out early and take Jonathan Quick and the LA defense off their game. Make no mistake thought, LA head coach Darryl Sutter will have his Kings disciplined and well-rested for Game 1 this evening, with lots of intensity and all the same hard-hitting qualities we’ve seen from LA so far in this playoff run.

Against the spread, the Kings will have to cover -1.5 goals at +255 odds, while the New Jersey Devils get -310 odds banking on them to cover the +1.5 goals as underdogs. This indicates that the bookmakers expect Game 1 to be a very close contest down to the wire, especially with two defenses that are going to seriously step up their form for the first crucial game of the series to end all series.

For the total goals, the familiar 4.5 over/under mark is once again installed for this showdown between two defensive-minded hockey clubs. With Los Angeles allowing just 1.57 goals against per game and New Jersey only 2.33, it’s fair to say that the smart money on the over/under would side to the under wager here. That said, with nerves coming into play, a long period of rest for both teams likely to give offensive players the edge, and with both teams known for starting fast in the playoffs so far this year, we’re very tempted to jump on the over wager in an unexpectedly offensive game. There are simply so many hot shooters on both teams, and with each side averaging over 30 shots on goal per game, even the two top goalies in this year’s playoffs may have a hard time adjusting to the barrage they are going to see from the get-go tonight.

Expect a thrilling Game 1 and an exciting series to play out over the coming weeks for the conclusion of the NHL hockey season. Whether your money backs the Kings or the Devils, hockey fans everywhere can bet on this final showdown to be a pleasantly unexpected surprise, with two teams who have beaten all expectations giving it their all for a chance to put their names on one of the most glorious Cups in all of sports.

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Stanley Cup Finals Begin, NBA Playoffs Continue for Sportsbook Betting

The middle of the week brings with it a strong dose of action for online sportsbook betting here at CR, and after a nearly week-long hiatus the Stanley Cup Playoffs are back in action for the final 7-game series with the Los Angeles Kings taking on the New Jersey Devils. Hockey fans will certainly be especially excited today to get back into the swing of things, but if you’re a basketball fan as well, today’s continuation of the Eastern Conference Finals series between the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics will certainly boost your spirits as well. Add in another heaping spoonful of Major League Baseball to the equation today and there’s something for everyone with a trip down to one of the best online sports betting sites reviewed right here. For today’s wagers, we’re circling around to the top sports betting destination at TopBet Sportsbook, one of the newer, yet most highly praised websites for betting on sports found by our staff. We’ve been a fan of wagering on this clean, easy-to-use sportsbook since our first introduction, and with competitive betting lines, a great betting interface and solid bonus opportunities this is definitely a great place to start whether you’re a first-time sports bettor or a seasons wagering veteran.

Starting off the wagers today, we’ll jump into the options with a look at the match-up in the NBA with the Miami Heat hosting the Boston Celtics for Game 2. After a decisive victory at home in Game 1, it’s evident that the Miami Heat have the offensive edge in this series, and that Boston needs to make some serious adjustments in order to even out this series for the return trip home. The spread stays wide for this game tonight, with the Heat getting another 8 point margin as favorites, and again are a huge -430 favorite straight up on the money line. While the Heat certainly haven’t looked to be missing forward Chris Bosh, who remains out of the line-up indefinitely, the ailing Ray Allen of the Boston Celtics seems to have put Boston at more of a disadvantage, as they struggle to find points production in the playoffs and in this series in particular. With Miami content to play a run-and-gun style of offense, scoring off transition and getting good penetration into the paint, Boston must come up with a better plan for slowing the Heat offense down, or risk another double-digit loss this evening. Getting physical play in the middle of the court is a must, so look to Kevin Garnett to be the biggest factor for the Celtics in tonight’s crucial showdown.

For the Stanley Cup Finals tonight, the highly anticipated series between the New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings is about as well-matched of a hockey showdown as you could hope for, with two teams of very similar styles clashing together. Both the Kings and the Devils thrive on shutdown defense, and have a number of offensive stars that are capable of carrying their respective teams to victory. For the Devils in this series, who open up play at home at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, getting off to a fast start each and every game is something they’ll look to carry over from their series with the Rangers. Getting the lead early and protecting it is their forte, and they’ll have to find a way to crack a LA defense that has been outstanding at shutting down their opponents’ top scorers, and finishing off power plays. That is an area of weakness that the Kings themselves will look to exploit, with the Devils being first in the regular season on the penalty kill, but giving up a whopping 16 power play goals in the postseason thus far. Also along the defensive lines, two extremely talented but very different goaltenders get set to do battle, with the 40 year-old Martin Brodeur of the Devils set to try and teach that young whippersnapper Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings a thing or two about Stanley Cup goalkeeping. Will nerves play a part in this series between the pipes? The youth of Quick hasn’t been exposed thus far, but no doubt one thing in this series to watch for is which goalie is able to get out to a strong start after an extended period of rest, with an edge perhaps leaning to the elder statesmen Brodeur, who sits with 3 Stanley Cup championships under his belt already. For the betting lines check out LA as a slight favorite at -120 odds straight up, with New Jersey at even money, and make sure to catch the other betting lines including the ones for the series overall at TopBet Sportsbook.

Shifting over to action in Major League Baseball today, a bulk of the week-running series get set to complete by the end of the evening, with a number of exciting Game 3 match-ups on the docket today. With only 3 games set up for Thursday with everyone having played through the holiday weekend, make sure to check out all your options across the betting lines for the best chances to pick up some coin on the MLB before things go a bit quiet for a day. Top match-ups on the day include the Atlanta Braves vs. St. Louis Cardinals, the New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Angels, and the Washington Nationals vs. Miami Marlins. Look out for trending teams like the Chicago White Sox, looking to win 8 in a row with a victory over the Tampa Bay Rays tonight, the San Francisco Giants trying to overcome the Arizona Diamondbacks for a 4th straight victory, and the Angels seeking their own 9 straight win as they march out of the early season hole to challenge the Texas Rangers for the AL West lead. There will be plenty of great betting options with a number of hot teams and a number of favorable pitching match-ups across the betting lines today, so head on down to TopBet Sportsbook and get those wagers place right now!

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San Antonio Spurs Seek Win Number 20, face Oklahoma City in Game 2

History could be in the making tonight in the Lone Star State, as the San Antonio Spurs try for the longest winning streak extending into the playoffs in NBA history. Up 1-0 in their Western Conference Final series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, win number 20 in a row happens to have special importance for the Spurs chances at reaching another NBA Finals, as victory tonight would put them into a 2-0 advantage before sending the series back to OKC for Games’ three and four. With tip-off tonight slated for 9:00 PM Eastern Time from the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, expect the Spurs to be highly confident and ready to set a date with the record books. On the flipside though, expect the Oklahoma City Thunder to be fully prepared to upset their cross-border rivals’ hopes of becoming NBA legends, and even out the series to take away home court advantage from the Spurs.

Game 1 of this exciting series turned out to be even more interesting than expected, with the Spurs needing a huge 39-point 4th quarter to snag a 101-98 victory from the grasp of the Thunder. San Antonio head coach Greg Popovich showed exactly why he was deserving of the NBA’s Coach of the Year honors, giving a tough-love pep talk that resulted in the Spurs shedding a 9-point deficit to prevail in a close 3-point game. The 4th quarter surge showed that San Antonio has become an offensive powerhouse in the playoffs this season, but it’s still yet to be seen if they can hold off an Oklahoma City Thunder offense, arguably younger and more talented across their three biggest players, who will be determined to come roaring back after giving up a crucial Game 1. One thing that is pretty likely to help San Antonio’s cause, is preventing the inside Thunder scorers from generating much of a splash this evening, as OKC’s three biggest inside players, Kendrick Perkins, Serge Ibaka and Nick Collison were held to just 15 points in total. With another shutdown defense night for the Spurs against these three in the paint, San Antonio will put themselves in a fine position to grab win number 20, and a commanding series lead as they head out of town. The battle for points in the paint no doubt was a huge factor in the Game 1 victory for the Spurs, with San Antonio pulling down 50 points to OKC’s 26, and for tonight’s Game 2 expect San Antonio to once again exploit the Thunder’s soft inside defense, pushing to get lots of penetration into the lanes from the likes of Manu Ginobli (26 points in Game 1), and more effort from guys like Boris Diaw, Kawhi Leonard and Tiago Splitter.

For the Oklahoma City Thunder, Game 1 was theirs for the taking were it not for a complete defensive and collapse in the 4th quarter. While credit has to be given to the Spurs for rallying back at home, all OKC had to do was play consistent defense that they had exhibited all game up until that point, and everyone would be questioning whether or not the Spurs, winners of 19 straight games, were going to be able to maintain the fast pace and aggressive style of offensive play that the Thunder like to engage in. OKC looked to be the better moving the ball upcourt, getting 17 fast break points to San Antonio’s 8, but must do a better job in penetrating the Spurs’ defense around the hoop, and also focus on preventing San Antonio’s veteran outside shooters like Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli from having easy access to the basket. If Manu Ginobli is able to put up anything like his 26 points in Game 1, expect problems once again for the Thunder. However, with a better outside defensive effort from guys like Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Thabo Sefolosha, the Thunder really don’t look in that bad of shape against the Spurs for Game 2. In fact, if the Thunder strictly focus on keeping Manu Ginobli around his playoff average of 11 points per game, it’s a no brainer that an otherwise similar effort from the Thunder like they gave in Game 1 will have them evening out this series on the road, and confident in a return trip back home where they’ve played their best ball on the season. It’s a tough task to try and prevent a late break-out in scoring against a team as confident and as well-coordinated as the Spurs are, but Oklahoma City is a hungry team with plenty of youth and talent, who can easily figure out their weaknesses from game to game and make the necessary adjustments. Look for much better defensive effort through 4 quarters, and the Thunder to stand a great chance at a comeback win, seeing as though tonight’s contest will once again be a close score near the buzzer. Game 1 was the Thunder’s only loss of the playoffs when the scoring line is within 6 points (5-1), so there’s plenty of reason to like the chances of OKC making a strong statement with a comeback win this evening.

Betting Lines for San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder at Bookmaker Sportsbook.

The Spurs however once again get the nod as favorites to win at home, where they haven’t dropped a game since April 11th. With -230 odds to win straight up on the money line though, banking on the Spurs to set NBA history with their 20th win extending into the playoffs seems a bit of a risky proposition with not so great odds. The wagers so far agree with that sentiment: 100 percent of the wagers placed so far today at Bookmaker for the money line are siding with the Thunder at +190 odds to win.

Against the spread however, the mix-up is much more balanced, as the Spurs are a -5 point favorite to win at -110 odds, while the visiting OKC Thunder get 5 points to play with, also at -110 odds. Based on the Thunder’s ability to score in droves at any time with the likes of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden on the floor, we are certainly interested in the Thunder getting 5 points as a cushion, as no doubt regardless of how the finish plays out, we should expect OKC to be either on top, or within striking distance of victory come the final buzzer.

Lastly, the total points line for tonight’s Game 2 finds a lofty 201 point for the over/under. With Oklahoma City’s offense looking to jump out early and lead the way for the Thunder, and with defense on both sides showing a lot of relaxing in favor of more run-and-gun style of play, there is plenty of reason to back the push over the points total for tonight’s Game 2. While we remain slightly reluctant to push over the 200 point line for any playoff game, knowing the offensive firepower of these two clubs, combined with both their abilities to put up huge numbers in any given quarter, the safe bet actually looks to be with the over wager for tonight’s contest. That said, we’ll play it a little saucy and expect a better defensive effort to be on the minds of both clubs, and take a stab at the under wager at Bookmaker Sportsbook.

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Major League Baseball, NBA Western Conference Finals Top Sportsbook Action

After what has been an enjoyably long weekend here for us at CR, we’re breaking back into the online sports betting options at one of the top sports betting websites reviewed here for a taste of the available action on the NBA playoffs, as well as a smattering of choices for Major League Baseball on Tuesday. For today’s wagering, we’re settling in to the Bovada Sportsbook, one of the best online sportsbooks we’ve reviewed in all our years here at CR. A fine example of what a top sports betting destination should be, check out Bovada today for quick and easy access to competitive betting lines across a well-built website with a great sportsbook interface. There’s no doubt that you’ll be able to find some great wagering opportunities to be had any day of the week at Bovada Sportsbook.

Checking out the top sports item on the betting calendar today, Game 2 of the NBA Western Conference Final between the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder is set to continue the border war between the two top teams out West. With the Spurs nabbing a tightly contested Game 1 at home over the weekend, expectations should be high that the OKC Thunder will come storming back in order to avoid falling into a 2-0 hole to a Spurs team that hasn’t lost a basketball game since April 11th. With a record-tying 19 straight wins, San Antonio seems tougher to beat each time out on the court, as the team’s veterans including Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli have no signs of succumbing to the pressure of maintaining one of the longest winning streaks in playoff history. Rightfully so then, the 4 1/2 points against the spread given to the Spurs tonight reflect their continually expanding level of confidence, however with the Thunder right on their tails in Game 1, expect another very tight, very close finish in Game 2 that could find San Antonio struggling to defend their push towards win number 20. Interestingly enough, the total points line is highly inflated with the over/under set at 202 points, making this series by far and away the one left with the excitement of high scoring and fast-paced basketball (unlike the relatively dull start to the Miami vs. Boston series last night). No matter which way you jump into the action for the Western Conference Finals Game 2, expect one great online sports betting opportunity with this great match-up this evening.

Moving along to the available Tuesday action for Major League Baseball, a stuffed weekend of games shows no signs of letting up into more mid-week play, as 15 contests come across the betting lines at Bovada, making for the most sports betting options across any sport on the day. Great games to check out today include the St. Louis Cardinals at Atlanta Braves, as the Braves desperately try to end a punishing 8-game losing skid, the Washington Nationals try to bounce back at Marlins Park against Miami after dropping Game 1 of their series against the Fish, and the Los Angeles Dodgers seek to maintain their Major League best record with a return to the win column against the Milwaukee Brewers. Switching over to action in the American League today, catch the Detroit Tigers with a great opportunity to even the series score with the Boston Red Sox, as Tigers’ ace Justin Verlander gets a favorable duel against Daniel Bard. Up north, a battle of the birds takes place as the Baltimore Orioles set out in Game 2 against the Toronto Blue Jays, with a favorable match-up for Toronto’s Ricky Romero against Baltimore’s Jake Arrieta, who has struggled with consistency as of late. Also make sure to check out the Chicago White Sox, who seek a 7th consecutive win today, in a meeting with the Tampa Bay Rays. This may be where the winning stops for the White Sox, facing Tampa’s James Shields, who could be set for a favorable outcome against Chicago’s Philip Humber. Lastly for wagers on American League games, wrap up your online sports betting with a look at the New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Angels series, as the Angels continue to climb out of their season-opening run of poor form, and could reach win number 8 in a row with a fine performance from Dan Haren against New York’s veteran Andy Pettitte.

All-in-all it’s another fine day for online sports betting at the Bovada Sportsbook, so head on down to take a look at the top wagering options called out here, and get into the action with a few bets on the top betting lines available today!

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Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat: Eastern Conference Finals Game 1


Both the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat are no strangers to the Eastern Conference Finals. In fact, in 5 of the last 7 years, one of these teams has gone on to claim the crown of Eastern Conference Champions. 2010 found Boston knocking off Miami to earn their spot in the NBA Finals. In 2011, Miami paid the veteran ‘Big Three (or Four)’ back, using their younger ‘Big Three’ to put the Celtics out of contention. For 2012, an inevitable rematch that will be the tie-breaker in the Eastern Conference Finals series played out over the past three years will take place, starting tonight with an exciting Game 1 tipping off on Memorial Day at 8:30 PM Eastern, from the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. Pull your socks up for this one folks, there’s no doubt this showdown is going to be an exciting and challenging one both for the two teams involved, as well as for online sportsbook betting at one of the best online sportsbooks reviewed here at CR.

One big difference heading into this series for Miami is the absence of Chris Bosh, who last year was a huge factor in the Miami Heat getting past the Boston Celtics, averaging 18.6 points and 8.4 rebounds per game throughout the 2011 playoffs. However, Miami has had to adjust to life without the 6’11” power forward, and getting a huge step-up in play from the other two-thirds of their Big Three, LeBron James and Dwayne Wade, hasn’t been much of a problem. LeBron James has been especially super-human during this years’ playoff run, stepping up to fill the void left by Bosh after the first round series against New York. Against Indiana, with the Pacers clearly having a size advantage, James helped the Heat to focus on a faster paced style of offense and has shown Miami that they can still maintain a rebounding advantage simply by outhustling the other team. Finishing the series with 30.0 points on 50.4 percent shooting, 10.8 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game, there is no question who the leader of the Heat must be heading into this series against Boston. Dwayne Wade also has been a huge factor thus far, averaging 23.8 points/game during this years’ playoff run, and will need to be at his best against a Boston Celtics squad that thrives on shutting down perimeter players. With plenty of focus from Doc Rivers’ game plan aimed at stopping these two South Beach superstars, there is no doubt that Miami will need to find success from its other lesser-known contributors, starting with Mario Chalmers. Miami’s key to winning games without a dominant inside player has been a fast-paced, get-out-and-run style of offense. Without James, Wade and Chalmers constantly pushing to make that happen, Boston will have a leg up on this series being able to set up shop on defense and control tempo. However, if Miami can keep the pace hot and the baskets falling quickly, they will be at a huge advantage over a Boston team that doesn’t score a lot of points, and doesn’t have father time on their side.

Though Boston does have a suite of skilled players at their disposal with veteran forward Kevin Garnett, NBA assist leader Rajon Rondo, all-around playmaker Paul Pierce and the long-distance sniper Ray Allen, the longevity of these players, aside from perhaps Rondo, may start to come into question heading into the Eastern Conference Finals. While there is no mistaking that Boston will come mentally prepared to face a Miami team they always play tough throughout the regular season and the playoffs, a prolonged series this year between these two teams will undoubtedly wear on the older Celtics, who may have trouble keeping all their stars healthy. Adding to a list of Celtics concerns as the playoffs move forward, Ray Allen is still bothered by an ankle injury. Avery Bradley is done for the season, meaning less breaks for the perimeter starters. Kevin Garnett and Brandon Bass are both going to be working overtime in the paint to establish control, and will see lots of physical, defensive pressure from the Miami rotation of Udonis Haslem, Ronny Turiaf and Joel Anthony. Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo will certainly have their hands full with LeBron James and Dwayne Wade working in transition basketball (note: Dwayne Wade has averaged nearly 32 points in 10 playoff games against Boston). The Celtics simply must find a way to prevent the Heat from getting out and running with the ball from the onset of this series. They have to be stronger than ever on the offensive glass to avoid Miami getting out quickly in transition too often. They must find some way to contain or at least limit the productiveness of LeBron James and Dwayne Wade, who have proven they can double-handedly carry their squad to victory.

Game 1 is a hugely crucial contest for both teams, as history has not been kind to the first team in the Conference Finals to drop the opening showdown. In fact, 80 percent of teams that win Game 1 in the Conference Finals end up going to the NBA Finals. For Miami, they can be confident in an interesting statistic about head coach Erik Spoelstra. During his tenure with the Heat, he is 5-0 in series openers played at the American Airlines Arena. Miami is generating 99.2 points per game at home during this playoff run, while Boston has produced just 85.3 points per game on the road this postseason. While the two teams are near even in rebounding capability, Miami at home is averaging 4 more offensive rebounds per game that Boston is on the road. That may be a key area to watch for, as well as points in the paint. The Heat will have a speed advantage, but Boston knows how to play physical around the basket, led by one of the most physical forwards in the game, Kevin Garnett. Averaging a double-double throughout the playoffs this year, Garnett must be the guiding light of confidence for Boston and continue to perform at his above 100 percent style of play on both sides of the basketball. Boston can keep up with the Heat provided they control the area under the basket, and prevent Miami from easy second chances, and breakaways from the defensive end.

Betting Lines for the Boston Celtics v. Miami Heat at Oddsmaker Sportsbook.

At home tonight, the Miami Heat start the series off as heavy -470 favorites straight up on the money line. The Boston Celtics, despite their increasingly strong play throughout the playoffs, are underdogs at +370 odds.

Against the Spread, Miami will have to cover 8 points at -115 odds, a margin they’ve bested in each of the first two rounds during the 2012 playoffs. Boston pickers will have 8 points to play with at decent -105 odds, with the bookmakers showing that they aren’t expecting this Game 1 to be that close by the end of the 4th quarter buzzer.

For the total points, 179.5 is the mark carved out for the over/under today. While Boston’s smothering defense could be cited as the key factor there, Miami’s new-found game plan of pushing the ball has us seriously considering the over bet, at -110 odds. A fast-paced, hot-shooting night from LeBron James and Dwayne Wade could very easily set the tone for a higher scoring showdown that the betting lines would suggest, though caution is worth taking considering how well Miami can play defense at home against a Boston team that doesn’t score a lot on the road, and how intent Boston will be to stop the Heat from pushing the pace too fast, too early.

In any case, this great match-up for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals will certainly be a worthwhile showdown to get behind at one of the top reviewed sportsbooks found here. Expect a thrilling, deep-running series to begin with a hugely important Game 1 tonight, where the Miami Heat should prevail based on their stronger offensive form and faster-paced style of play.

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NBA Western Conference Finals, MLB Contests Featured for Sports Betting

Oh it’s a glorious day to be a sports fan indeed! Sunday kicks off the new round of action in the NBA playoffs, as the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder get set to battle it out in the Western Conference Finals for what is surely one of the most highly anticipated match-ups in the NBA playoffs this year. With two of the NBA’s best teams in the regular season, and arguably the two hottest teams through the first two rounds of the playoffs facing off, the betting lines at one of the top reviewed sportsbooks found here at CR are going to be packed with sports fans trying to squeeze in their wagers on what should be an exciting Game 1 of a series that should be expected to see at least 6 games if not the full 7. Don’t hesitate to join us for the day’s opening wagers on this top-billed sports event on Sunday, with a trip to the Betonline Sportsbook, one of the best online sportsbooks reviewed here. With the Spurs at home looking to extend their near-unprecedented 18-game winning streak, San Antonio is a 5 point favorite against the spread at Betonline Sportsbook today, which could open up a great opportunity to plant a wager on the underdog OKC Thunder, who have lost just one game thus far in the NBA playoffs, and have all the offensive weaponry necessary to make a serious run at a Game 1 victory on the road tonight. No matter which way you wager on this match-up, make sure to check out all the available betting lines at Betonline today, and get prepared for what is sure to be non-stop exciting NBA action tonight!

Changing tack over to the games set for Major League Baseball on Sunday, 15 contests are set for the betting lines at Betonline Sportsbook, with the continuation of some great head-to-head series around the American and National Leagues. Starting with the games in the AL, the top team to follow is the New York Yankees, who are seeking a 5th straight win and a series sweep over the Oakland Athletics this afternoon. A’s pitcher Tommy Milone will try to continue his strong string of starts (4-0, 0.60 ERA at home) in the Bay Area and help Oakland avoid an embarrassing 3-game home sweep at the hands of the Yankees, though they could find some resurgence in their offense facing New York’s Hiroki Kuroda, who has been off to an up-and-down start this season. Checking out another exciting AL showdown, the Boston Red Sox and AL-East foes the Tampa Bay Rays finish off their 3-game series in the rubber match today with Boston’s Clay Buchholz up against Tampa’s Jeremy Hellickson. With plenty of heated words, and no-love-lost between the two sides in this crucial Game 3, expect another exciting finish in a game we’re taking the Rays to prevail in at home. Look for other great AL match-ups today as the Chicago White Sox look for 5 straight wins and a sweep of their AL Central rivals the Cleveland Indians, the Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals engage in the rubber match of their series, and the fire-balling Yu Darvish takes the mound for the Texas Rangers against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Shifting gears over to the action in the National League for Major League Baseball betting, the match-up of the day features the Philadelphia Phillies against the St. Louis Cardinals, with a fantastic pitching duel between Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay and St. Louis’ Adam Wainwright. The Phillies look to finally be hitting stride as they chase a 4th straight win this afternoon and a series sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals, who have fallen out of favor in the NL Central. The current NL Central-leading Cincinnati Reds get set to return to their winning ways as well today, victors of 7 of their last 10 games and going for another victory against the Colorado Rockies today. Make sure to also spot the betting lines for the late Sunday game of the day between the Atlanta Braves and the Washington Nationals, with the Braves trying desperately to climb out of a 6-game losing skid and avoid a series sweep at the hands of the NL East-leading Nats. This will no doubt be the top pitching duel of the day, with Atlanta’s Brandon Beachy (5-2, 1.77 ERA) squaring off against Washington’s Gio Gonzalez (6-1, 1.98 ERA). Cap a great day of wagering off with a trip through the best betting options on Major League Baseball, and hopefully earn some cashflow for a great extended Memorial Day weekend!

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UFC 146: Heavyweight Bouts Dominate an Exciting Sin City Fight Card


It’s been a while since we’ve seen a UFC fight card as exciting as this come across the betting lines of the top online sportsbooks reviewed here at CR, but with Saturday night’s UFC 146 showdown in Las Vegas, Nevada there’s a mountain of great MMA action for sports betting fans, that will certainly be worth at least a couple wagers today. Let’s take look at the match-ups, and find out the best options for sportsbook betting at Sportsbetting Sportsbook, the best online sports betting site featured today.

UFC Heavyweight Title Defense: Junior dos Santos vs. Frank Mir

The top option for MMA fans looking to wager on UFC 146, the dos Santos vs. Mir fight, is certain to be a fast, furious, and hard-hitting bout between two of the best names currently in the UFC stables. At weigh in, a confident dos Santos (14-1 MMA, 8-0 UFC) was quick to indicate he would be the winner by virtue of knock out in the second round against the more seasoned Mir (16-5 MMA, 14-5 UFC), taking out the former heavyweight champion who came in at a hefty 30 pounds bigger than him. What will be truly interesting though, is whether or not dos Santos can avoid being drawn out of his stand-up fighting element, which he has relied on in his maintaining a perfect record in UFC bouts. There is no question that dos Santos is the better straight-up striking fighter in this match-up, but with Frank Mir an excellent grappler who is arguably one of the best submission artists in the heavyweight division, it will be intriguing to see if Mir is able to shock the MMA world with a surprising takedown, and a quick finish against a better all-around fighter. The bookmakers certainly aren’t expecting that to be the case, with dos Santos a -550 favorite straight up tonight against who many are calling a fighter past his prime in Mir, but if you’re feeling saucy regardless, the +400 odds on Mir may be worth a small bet on a shot in the dark.

Second Heavyweight Bout: Cain Velasquez (9-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) vs. Antonio Silva (16-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC)

Cain Velasquez will no doubt keep an eye on the main event, if only to see how Junior dos Santos, the man who took Velasquez’ own heavyweight title from him, fairs this evening. However, Velasquez will also have his hands full against Antonio Silva, who makes his first appearance in the octagon after becoming the Strike Force grand-prix champion. What’s intriguing about this match-up, which arguably will be the most exciting match-up considering the huge odds stacked in dos Santos’ favor in the main event, is the fact that these two fighters are training partners, and know each other very well prior to entering the octagon together. What we like about Silva is the sheer size and bulk this guy has. 6’4″ inch frame packing 265 pounds. He’s got five inches of reach on Velasquez to go with 4 inches of height, but no doubt he’ll try to get Velasquez to the ground and execute some of his superb jiu-jitsu prowess, as Velasquez has to be considered the better striker of these two fighters. If there is a underdog on your betting ticket tonight, best make it Silva, who at +320 odds to win could make for a great pay day if he can absorb the hits coming from Velasquez, and use his big body to smother the former heavyweight champ into submission.

Roy Nelson vs. Dave Herman: UFC’s Kenny Powers Has Still Got It.

We love a guy with a sick mullet, and Roy Nelson has got the ape drape down to a science. What he doesn’t have down is a winning record in MMA fights lately, going 1-3 in his last four fights. ‘Big Country’ simply has to step up his game against Dave Herman, who despite getting beaten by the elites in the UFC (dos Santos, Mir and Velasquez), has earned a reputation of being able to survive a beating and keep fighting to the final bell. However, what may be even more resilient than Dave Herman, is Roy Nelson’s chin and his massive hands, which both seem to be fashioned out of iron. While Herman may be a better stand-up fighter, Nelson is going to get this fight to the ground one way or another, and should simply out-last Herman in a good brawl. At -200 odds to win, Nelson has the best odds for a fighter who everyone is banking on to pull through with a victory tonight.

Someone is Going to Get Knocked Out: Lavar Johnson vs. Stefan Struve.

This is a very interesting match-up, with a near 7-foot Dutchman in Stefan ‘The Skyscraper’ Struve up against the scrappy Lavar Johnson, who is fresh off two straight wins in the octagon. Struve is coming up fast, at just 24 years of age with already 28 fights under his belt (23-5), and will have a big advantage if he can get Johnson to the mat, as he’s a very talented in the submission game. Johnson, while being a hard-hitting striker that everyone has come to like considering his distaste for fighting to the distance (17-5, no matches reaching the final bell either way), has a big disadvantage in his unfamiliarity with fighting on the canvas. No question Johnson wins if he can come out hard and fast with his hands and get some big shots to the head of Struve, but if he slips up and Struve gets him to the canvas, the big Dutchman is going to secure his 3rd straight victory in the heavyweight division. This is a tough call, even for the bookmakers, with Struve at -135 odds for the favorite and Johnson at +115 odds as underdog, but look out for the submission to be the determining factor in this bout, as Struve avoids going toe-to-toe and takes Johnson to the canvas for a 2nd round finish.

Make sure to check out all the available betting lines for tonight’s heavyweight-infused fight card for UFC 146, and prepare for some great fights from Sin City to cap off a great day of online sports betting at the Sportsbetting sportsbook.