Clippers earn rare win in Utah

Basketball Betting Lines

02/02/2012 - Salt Lake City, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It wasn't easy, but the Clippers picked up their first win in Salt Lake City since 2003.

Los Angeles had lost 15 straight against the Jazz in Utah, but got a season- high 34 points and 11 assists from Chris Paul to earn a 107-105 victory in a game which featured 12 ties and 14 lead changes

Blake Griffin added 31 points and 14 rebounds and executed a key three-point play in the final minute for the Clippers, who have won four straight overall.

Al Jefferson, a game-time decision due to an ankle injury, had a team-high 27 points and 12 boards for the Jazz, who saw their two-game win streak come to an end. C.J. Miles scored 16 and Paul Millsap finished with 14.

The Clippers were up 92-87 on Paul's up-and-under layup with under five minutes to play, but Jefferson followed with a bucket and hit 1-of-2 free throws shortly thereafter to make it a two-point game.

The margin was still two, 96-94, when Paul was off on a fadeaway jumper, but Mo Williams snared the offensive rebound and collided with Miles in mid-air, drawing a foul in the process. He made both foul shots with 30 seconds on the clock.

Jefferson quickly responded with a jump hook on the baseline but the Clippers broke Utah's press with ease and Griffin took the ball from half court to the basket, making a layup and drawing a foul on Jefferson. The ensuing free throw made it 101-96.

Utah wouldn't go easily, however. Millsap and Miles hit three-pointers on the team's next two possessions, but veteran Chauncey Billups answered both times with a pair of free throws.

Billups' second trip to the line had the Clippers up 105-102 with seven seconds left and Paul fouled Devin Harris to prevent another Utah three- pointer.

Harris made a pair, then Williams made a pair. Miles was fouled by Billups with a second to play. He hit the first free throw and intentionally missed the second, but LA reserve Reggie Evans was there to grab the rebound and seal the win.

Earlier, Griffin and Paul combined for 26 of their team's 32 first quarter points and LA took a three-point lead into the second. There the Jazz responded, opening with a 15-2 run to take a 10-point lead, the largest advantage of the game for either team.

The Clippers responded, though, tying the game late in the quarter on Paul's floater before Jefferson made it 58-56 at the half with a short jumper. Neither team led by more than four in the third and the Jazz were up 74-72 entering the fourth.

Game Notes

The Clippers' last win in Salt Lake City came on January 22, 2003...LA's four- game win streak marks a season-high...Williams had 19 points...The Clippers held a 50-35 rebounding advantage.

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Football Betting

NFL Football Betting Online

The San Francisco 49ers (5-11 SU, 5-10-1 ATS in 2007; 1-1 SU & ATS in pre-season) found some offensive life last week, and they will try to build some momentum on Thursday night as they travel to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Bears (7-9 SU & ATS in 2007; 0-2 SU, 0-1-1 ATS in pre-season) in an NFL matchup that is set to get underway at 8 PM ET at Soldier Field (natural turf) in Chicago.

Thursday, August 21

NFL betting odds: CHICAGO -3 (-120), Total 37

NOTABLE STAT: San Francisco was last in points, last in total offense in 2007
KEY NFL BETTING TREND: SF has lost its last seven SU on pre-season road

In the BetUS NFL pre-season football betting odds, the Bears are listed as a three-point favorite (laying -120), with the total posted at 37 points.

Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup (reflecting numbers going into the 2008 season):

* SF has lost 11 of its last 14 games SU
* SF has covered three of its last 11 games
* SF has lost six of its last seven road games SU
* SF has covered one of its last seven road games
* CHI has covered five of its last eight games
* CHI has played five of its last seven games OVER the total
* CHI has covered four of its last 13 home games
* SF has lost its last seven pre-season road games SU
* CHI has covered two of its last seven home pre-season games

Well, I guess we should congratulate the Bears on making their quarterback choice for the season's opening game, as they have designated Kyle Orton the starter against Indianapolis. The Bears obviously have lost patience with Rex Grossman, and what they do with him at this point is anybody's guess. But suffice it to say that there isn't a quarterback competition anymore, at least in training camp.

Meanwhile, the quarterback competition may also be settled in San Francisco, where the Niners bounced back from a lackluster 18-6 loss to the Raiders, in which they turned the ball over four times, to execute a 34-6 rout of the Packers last Saturday. However, coach Mike Nolan has stopped short of saying that, insisting that the job is still open. But J.T. O'Sullivan, the longshot of the trio of Niner signal-callers who opened camp, will start his third straight pre-season game here. Against Green Bay, O'Sullivan was only 8-for-17, and was intercepted, but he also threw for 9.1 yards an attempt, which included a 59-yard TD pass to Josh Morgan. The others struggled.

Some offensive cohesion is badly needed, in light of the Niners' dismal 2007 campaign, in which they were dead last in the NFL in scoring, with just 13.7 points a game. And O'Sullivan is the guy who is most familiar with offensive coordinator Mike Martz's exacting system, because he learned it last year in Detroit. O'Sullivan will go at least the entire first half and may even last longer. He'll be relieved by Alex Smith, with Shawn Hill doing the mop-up work. Three receivers who were out last week - Bryant Johnson, Ashley Lelie and Arnaz Battle - will miss this game too.

That may hurt a little here, especially since the Bears will be using a lot of their defensive starters. And it's the defense that has been keeping the Bears in games thus far. In fact, the defense and special teams were responsible for the first 19 points Chicago scored against Seattle last time out, as the offense really struggled with Grossman at the controls. But maybe the first-team offense has a chance to settle a little bit as it works more with Orton at the helm.

Certainly we have concerns about the Bears' offensive line, but we like the scenario for them here, especially if O'Sullivan doesn't make some bis plays. The Niners may have nowhere else to turn right now, and they have lost seven straight road games in the pre-season. Let's take Chicago, the three-point favorite in the NFL football betting odds.

CHICAGO -3 (-120) **
(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)

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