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King of clang: LeBron looking lame at line lately

Basketball Betting Lines

02/05/2007 -

CLEVELAND (AP) - His royal image is being tarnished with almost every trip to the foul line. From 15 feet, LeBron James has become the King of clang.

In his last 10 games, Cleveland's All-Star forward has made just 59 of 98 free throws, Shaq-like statistics that have dropped his average from the line to 68 percent - 7 points below his career average.

``Right now,'' he said. ``I'm in Strugglesville.''

This is a disturbing trend for James and the Cavaliers, who have been the NBA's worst free-throw shooting team (68 percent) most of the season. Until the team starts making more fouls shots they will continue to blow leads and give away victories. Not exactly the stuff of a title contender.

James is determined to fix the biggest flaw in his otherwise impeccable game.

``I'm just trying to make them,'' he said. ``I've shot in the high 70s my whole career and in the 80s in high school. It has never been a problem for me, and it's not going to be a problem now. I just have to go up there and make them.''

Easier said than done.

James, just 20-for-38 in his past five games, has spent extra time after practice working with Cavaliers assistant coach Chris Jent on his poor foul shooting. Jent has made some fundamental adjustments to James' shot, but so far the results aren't showing.

``We're just trying to change how much time he is at the line, make it more of a rhythm shot,'' Jent said. ``We haven't done much more than that, it's him trying to find a comfortable routine.

``Free-throw shooting is so much mental that the routine part of it is important so your body feels comfortable. Right now, we're trying to find that comfort level and sometimes when that happens, you regress before you progress. For him, it's kind of a hard time right now.''

James' misses are magnified because of how often he gets to the line, and when he gets there.

Of the 16 players who had attempted 300 free throws entering Monday's games, he ranked 13th in free-throw percentage, ahead of only San Antonio's Tim Duncan (64 percent), Orlando's Dwight Howard (62) and New York's Eddy Curry (61) - all big men.

And among the league's superstars and possible MVP candidates, James ranks far behind Dirk Nowitzki (91), Steve Nash (88), Kobe Bryant (86), Gilbert Arenas (84) and Dwyane Wade (81). Even 7-foot-6 Yao Ming (87 percent) shoots his free throws better than James.

If he doesn't improve, teams may be more inclined to foul him late in games, knowing the pressure might shake his already wobbly confidence.

When he steps to the line, James said he doesn't think of anything other than making his shots. There are no meditation or relaxation techniques.

``I just want to get up there and make them and hurry up and get off the free-throw line,'' he said.

Part of James' problem could be that he's spending more time at the line than might be necessary.

His foul-line ritual is to kiss one wristband, then the other - a tribute to his mother, Gloria, and girlfriend, Savannah - before focusing on the basket and shooting. Lately, more often than not, he smacks the ball off the rim.

``I'm trying to find a groove,'' he said. ``I just have to stick with the routine I've been doing lately and get better.''

The lack of accuracy has nothing to do with physical limitations. His hands aren't too big - an excuse offered for Shaquille O'Neal - and he's not coming off an injury like Ohio State center Greg Oden, who has had to shoot free throws left handed following surgery on his right wrist.

The problem, James admits, has crept into his mind.

``It can be mental sometimes, and right now it is,'' he said. ``At practice, I don't miss. I get in the game, and I miss.''

In a nationally televised loss last week at Miami, James missed three free throws in less than 18 seconds during a crucial juncture of the fourth quarter, including one that would have tied the score with 44.8 seconds remaining.

He finished 3-for-8 from the line, a bad night made worse because it came in the same game that Wade made 23 of 24 free throws, dropping his first 21 in a row.

Jent is confident that once James gets his routine down, his free throws will go down, too.

``He's got touch. He's got perception and he has the ability to shoot the ball,'' he said. ``It's just being comfortable at the line. Right now, he's not comfortable.''

Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

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American Idol Betting Season 6 Strategies  

It's that time of year folks.  Betting on American Idol Season 9.  And we have plenty of American Idol Season 6 strategies appearing below.  With the Top 24 finalists revealed, online gambling sites will be offering betting odds on each of them, including MySportsbook.com.

No other “event” has been growing as fast as wagering on American Idol. It has turned into a huge betting event with reasonably high limits and all sorts of profit-making potential for sharp bettors. Last year, MySportsbook.com experienced unprecedented traffic as a result of the American Idol betting craze.

Every week there will be odds to win American Idol, various elimination props and contestant versus contestant match-ups at the MySportsbook.com website.

Whether a fan of America’s top-rated show or watching only because of a wife or girlfriend, here are some of basic strategies to use when betting American Idol.

Odds to Win

There are a few things to consider when looking for the right win bet. First off, remember that this bet is for the long haul. Many people make the mistake of picking the performer who sang the best the previous week. This strategy leads to an underlay situation – betting a price, which is less than what it should be.

All Idol contestants struggle at some point in the competition, so you should always look for value. In last year’s competition alone, two performers who had some of the best performances early in the series were subsequently bet down to low prices - Lisa Tucker and Ace Young. After just a few weeks, Tucker had already been eliminated, while Young quickly became a huge long shot to win America’s largest talent search.

A better strategy is to look for performers who don’t necessarily get the praise from the judges, but show flashes of the talent necessary to go the distance.

Another important thing to remember when betting any contestant to win is the demographic breakdown of the voters, the viewing public and potential future CD purchasers. Unlike sporting events, American Idol is not decided on the field of play – it’s decided by the American public under the guiding influence of the shows producers.

Understand that the great state of Alabama has a mighty edge when it comes to American Idol. 

Therefore, to be successful betting on American Idol, put any personal opinions or prejudices aside and think like the majority of the voting public. Remember that the typical voter is young, female and quite often, Southern.

If a contestant cannot appeal to this demographic, no matter how much talent he or she possesses, they’ll struggle for votes. Looks, demeanor and charisma are extremely important. And it’s no coincidence that every Idol winner so far has hailed from a Southern state.

Elimination Props

Every week MySportsbook.com anticipates offering a prop on who’ll be eliminated from the show each Wednesday night. A suggestion to handicap this is to gauge an overall feel for who’s the least popular contestant left in the competition. Generally the least popular performers have recently appeared in the bottom three and will have been the target of repeated criticism from the judges.

Last year, resources included dialidol.com and votefortheworst.com. Dialidol.com measures the volume of each contestant’s voting line. While by no means a perfect science, it does give a good indication of who is generating votes and who isn’t. Meanwhile, votefortheworst.com is a site that attempts to build support for the worst competitor to keep them in the competition for ‘entertainment’ value. The site has a proven track record of keeping performers around who most feel should have been voted off a long time ago.

Contestant vs. Contestant Match-ups

The best strategy for doing well on match-ups is to assess how close either of the contestants is to being eliminated. If neither is expected to be voted off of the show in the coming weeks, the value is almost always on the underdog. If both are expecting an imminent exit in the near future, the favorite in the match-up might offer value.

Watch for American Idol betting odds on each of the contestants shortly and good luck with these American Idol betting strategies.

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

MySportsbook.com week 1 NFL lines


Now that the 2008 NFL schedule is finally out, it is only matter-of-course for lines on “Week 1” to follow.  Of course MySportsbook.com is the first to churn out odds for the NFL’s inaugural week for the upcoming season.   Expect a lot of fireworks the first Thursday night of the season as the defending champion Indianapolis Colts face off against the surprise of the 2008 season, the New Orleans Saints.  These teams were ranked #1 and #3 in the NFL respectively a season ago so a high scoring affair could be in order.  As of now, the Colts will be giving 6 points to the Saints; keep in mind the Saints were one of the better road teams last season going 6-3 SU and 7-2 ATS.  The first Monday night of the season will again provide a “double feature”. Coming off a disappointing season, the Cincinnati Bengals will look to get back to playoffs and improve their public image as they take on the AFC North favorite Baltimore Ravens.  The second game features a couple of teams that haven’t had too much success recently but each could make some noise if the NFC is as weak as it was last year as the San Francisco 49ers host the Arizona Cardinals. The most interesting game of the opening week will feature the NFC champion Bears as they hit the road to take on the NFL’s top team during last year’s regular season, the San Diego Chargers.

MySportsbook.com Week 1 odds:

Saints +6 @ Colts -6

Falcons @ Vikings (pick ‘em)

Panthers @ Rams (pick ‘em)

Broncos -3.5 @ Bills +3.5

Chiefs -1 @ Texans +1

Dolphins +3 @ Redskins -3

Patriots -5 @ Jets +5

Eagles -3.5 @ Packers +3.5

Steelers -4 @ Browns +4

Titans +6 @ Jaguars -6

Bears +6 @ Chargers -6

Lions +3 @ Raiders -3

Bucs +6.5 @ Seahawks -6.5

Giants +4 @ Cowboys -4

Ravens +3 @ Bengals -3

Cardinals +3 @ 49ers -3

 Super Bowl line (2008)

NFC +6.5 vs. AFC -6.5

MySportsbook is a large, publicly traded company with strong financial backing. You will find their customer service is second to none and their web site is extremely user friendly and easy-to-use. All major professional sports games are available. Once you signup with MySportsbook, you may never use another online sportsbook again.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football sportsbook needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.