Grizzlies, Nets collide in Memphis

Basketball Betting Lines

03/08/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Memphis Grizzlies will attempt to put their current home woes behind in this evening's clash with a New Jersey Nets squad that enters FedEx Forum off a rare positive result.

Memphis has lost eight consecutive contests as the home team since besting the defending world champion Los Angeles Lakers on February 1. The Grizzlies have not dropped nine in a row in their own building since a club-record 11-game losing streak from February 16-March 31, 1996, when the franchise was then located in Vancouver.

The Grizzlies had put together back-to-back road wins over New Orleans and Chicago prior to Saturday's home test with San Antonio, but couldn't keep up with the Spurs in a 102-92 defeat.

"We have played a different caliber of teams away than we have at home," Memphis head coach Lionel Hollins said of his team's drought at FedEx Forum. "We just haven't been able to raise our caliber of play. We execute better on the road. We make a better effort and better decisions on the road."

Memphis had drawn within 89-83 on an O.J. Mayo basket midway through the fourth quarter, but the Spurs countered with a 9-2 burst to take a 13-point lead and the Grizzlies never got the deficit closer than eight the rest of the way. Mayo ended with 23 points in the loss, with Marc Gasol amassing 17 points and 13 rebounds for Memphis.

The Grizzlies, four games back of Portland for the eighth and final playoff seed in the Western Conference, will try to bounce back against a Nets team that owns an NBA-worst 7-55 record and is a dismal 4-27 on the road. However, New Jersey has actually won its last three times as the visitor and is fresh off Saturday's 113-93 triumph over the rival New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

The Nets trailed by as many as 16 points in the first half but dominated the Knicks over the remainder of the game in halting a three-game skid. An ability to shoot from long range made the comeback possible, as New Jersey sank 14- of-24 three-point attempts on the evening.

Devin Harris made 13-of-21 overall shots for 31 points to pace the Nets, while Courtney Lee returned from a three-game absence due to a sprained ankle and delivered 25 points.

"The second team was huge for us," said Harris. "We got off to a very lethargic start. Those guys came in a did a great job getting us back in the game."

Brook Lopez finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds for New Jersey, which will be aiming for its first four-game road winning streak since November 26- December 6, 2009.

Saturday's win kicked off a five-game trek for the Nets, with matchups at Dallas, Oklahoma City and Houston upcoming. The team may not have forward Yi Jianlian for any of those tests, however, after the seven-footer suffered a sprained left ankle in the first quarter against the Knicks.

New Jersey has prevailed in two of its last three visits to FedEx Forum but was a 104-94 loser to the Grizzlies when these teams squared off in the Garden State on February 21. Rudy Gay led Memphis with 29 points in that one, with Mayo coming through with 24 points and seven assists.

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El Duque expected to throw Tuesday

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.

Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.

El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.

MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds. 

Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.

New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.

Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''

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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.

"Generally talking about the starting lineup is not something we do," Green told the AP. "However, given the speculation that was out there we want to make it clear. We're disappointed after last week, but we still expect to be a playoff football team and we fully expect Kurt Warner to be the quarterback that leads us. That has not changed."

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