Bryant, Lakers down Nuggets

Basketball Betting Lines

11/02/2008 - Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kobe Bryant had a game-high of 33 points to lead the Los Angeles Lakers in a 104-97 victory over the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center.

Pau Gasol had 16 points to match his game-best 16 rebounds for the Lakers, who are perfect on the season at 3-0. Vladimir Radmanovic and Derek Fisher dropped 11 points each in the win.

Anthony Carter had 20 points for the Nuggets, who dropped two of their three contests to open the season. Carmelo Anthony, playing in his first game of the year after sitting out the first two due to an offseason DUI arrest, had 13 points and six assists. Kenyon Martin added 18 points, while Allen Iverson and J.R. Smith gave 13 points each in defeat.

With the game knotted 86-all, a Bryant three-pointer sparked a 7-0 run for the Lakers that gave the visitors a 93-86 cushion with five minutes left in the game. Bryant finished with six of the points on the burst.

"Kobe got going and took over in the fourth quarter," said Gasol. "They ran out of gas a little bit in the fourth."

Anthony hit a jumper and, after Bryant missed a shot, came down and nailed a three to make it 93-91 with four minutes to play. However, the Lakers rattled off seven unanswered points to get their biggest lead of the game, 100-91.

The Nuggets answered as Anthony buried a three-pointer, but Linas Kleiza fouled Bryant, who hit one from the line before Anthony drained another trey to make it 102-97 with 44 seconds left.

Smith then fouled Bryant, who hit both free throws to make it a seven-point game, 104-97 with 30 ticks showing.

Denver, though, still had some life, but Kleiza's three-point attempt caromed off the front of the rim and Gasol grabbed the ball and dribbled downcourt to run the clock out.

The Lakers took a 23-21 lead after the first quarter, but fell behind 52-46 at the half thanks to 33 percent shooting from the field in the first 24 minutes.

Carter led the way with 16 first half points to highlight Denver's 49 percent shooting effort over the first two quarters.

The Nuggets opened a nine-point lead, 63-54, on an Anthony jumper and an Iverson three with nine minutes left in the third.

Down eight later in the period, LA rallied to get right back in it. Bryant nailed a jumper and connected on a three-point play as Smith fouled him.

"The key was in the second half we played better defense, only 16 turnovers, and we rebounded well," said Lakers coach Phil Jackson.

Then after Chris Andersen botched a reverse layup, Radmanovic hit a three and Bryant drained a jumper to tie it up at 70 with just under three minutes left before the final frame.

The clubs headed into the fourth frame deadlocked 76-76.

Game Notes

The Lakers won the battle of the boards, 53-38...The Nuggets outshot the Lakers, 46 percent to 38 percent...LA will host the Clippers on Wednesday...Denver will play at Golden State on Wednesday...The Lakers swept the season series with Denver last season, winning all three matchups.

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Numerous College Basketball teams take final big step to March Madness betting

So, what turned on the lock spigot? Well, after what felt like weeks of teams treading water and slipping back into the bubble muck, a bunch of them finally decided to say "to heck with parity" and won games that should put them into the Big Dance.

Disagree with some of these? Then here's the challenge. Take all of the "should be ins" and make a legit case that each should be ahead of the team that's a lock. Then find 10 more teams that also should be placed in the bracket ahead of that lock team. Not so easy, is it?

If you want more evidence that these locks should be good to go, check out what our research department dug up. Since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1985, only six teams from a "big six" conference have had a record of 10-6 or better in conference play and not been selected: Colorado (2004) and Nebraska (1999) from the Big 12, Boston College and Seton Hall (both 2003) from the Big East, Indiana (2005) from the Big Ten and UCLA, which somehow went 12-6 in the Pac-10 in 1988 and still missed out. (Note: Five teams went 11-7 and didn't get in, the latest being last season's Stanford team, which had a brutal nonconference run.)

Yes, 10 conference wins doesn't always mean what it used to because of unbalanced schedules, but this season, it should be plenty good in all but the extreme cases (see: Iowa).

In a way, this is a welcome development, because this is a bubble watch, not a lock watch. We can finally be done with teams like Maryland and Virginia Tech and start really bearing down on at-large battles such as Syracuse-West Virginia and Appalachian State-Georgia Tech.

Interestingly, all the shifting of teams into lock status appears to be more administrative than impactful. The number of remaining available at-larges didn't change one iota. The only difference is that teams on the bubble now have a clearer idea of which team(s) they are competing with for those precious bids.

The Bubble Breakdown
CONFERENCE LOCKS SHOULD BE INS AT-LARGES TAKEN
(assuming no auto bid outlier)
ACC Betting Odds 6 0 5
Big East Betting Odds 5 0 4
Big Ten Betting Odds 2 2 3
Big 12 Betting Odds 3 0 2
Pac-10 Betting Odds 5 1 5
SEC Betting Odds 4 0 3
MVC Betting Odds 1 1 1
MWC Betting Odds 2 1 2
TOTAL 28 5 25

As always, I've tried to be as inclusive as possible while only including teams that would have a reasonable chance of at least being discussed if this were Selection Sunday. If your team's not on here, there's probably a good reason (or three) -- start with the RPI and SOS numbers and work your way down.

(Please remember, per selection committee criteria, that records displayed are Division I only. Next update: Feb. 28)

If you have a legitimate grievance, or just like talking bubble, send an e-mail. Polite ones with fact-based arguments have a much better chance of receiving a response. I apologize in advance if I can't get back to all of you.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Work left to do: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech

The ACC moves to six locks as BC, Va Tech and Virginia all got their 10th ACC wins, which should be more than enough this season, and Maryland rallied past North Carolina to get the final piece the Terps needed. After that? It could end there unless FSU, Ga Tech or Clemson picks things up in a hurry.

 

Work left to do:

Clemson [19-9 (5-9), RPI: 41, SOS: 42] The Tigers are closer to locking up the collapse of the year award (in a good battle with OK State) than they are to grabbing an at-large. Clemson's been very competitive, but there's no really positive way you can spin nine losses in 11 games. They now cannot get to .500 in ACC play and still must head to Virginia Tech in the season finale (after hosting Miami). Unless the Tigers win both and/or do some serious work in the ACC tourney, they very well could be left out. There are no great nonconference wins, but ODU, App State, Miss. State, South Carolina and Georgia are all respectable W's.

Florida State [18-11 (6-9), RPI: 48, SOS: 14] The Noles got thrashed at Maryland to run their losing streak to five, but then pounded NC State at home to set the table for what likely is an elimination game at Miami. You can at least make a case for the Seminoles at 7-9 in ACC play (and some work in the ACC tourney), but 6-10 is not going to cut it. Wins at Duke and over Florida will resonate, but the computer numbers remain questionable. Beyond Florida, FSU thrashed bubble buddy Providence, but there's not a ton beyond those two games that will help. They didn't show well in big-time opportunities against Pitt and Wisconsin (before the Florida win).

Georgia Tech [18-10 (6-8), RPI: 51, SOS: 46] The Jackets beat Wake on Wednesday but couldn't get it done at UVa on Saturday, which could be a crucial loss with UNC and BC (both at home) remaining and 8-8 almost a certain need for at-large consideration. A nonconference win over Memphis helps, but the RPI and SOS are not at-large quality right now; if you combine those with a sub-.500 ACC mark, that could spell NIT for GT.

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