Thunder continue road trip in clash with Grizzlies

Basketball Betting Lines

01/22/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder hope to stay perfect on their current road trip as they square off with the Memphis Grizzlies tonight at FedEx Forum.

The Thunder have won three in a row overall and the first two tests of this trek, including Wednesday's 94-92 triumph at Minnesota behind 31 points and 10 rebounds from Durant. He posted his 11th double-double of the season and is currently third in the NBA in scoring with 29.2 points per game.

Durant also extended his franchise record by scoring 25-plus points in 16 straight games, and leads the league with a 32.1 point-per-game average since Christmas Day. He also owns an NBA-best 23 games with at least 30 points this season.

Jeff Green added 15 points and nine boards while James Harden had 12 points off the bench for Oklahoma City, which surpassed its win total from all of last season and improved to 12-9 away from the Ford Center in 2009-10.

"I knew it was going to be a competitive game," Thunder head coach Scott Brooks said. "[The Timberwolves have] won a few home games in a row. We knew they were going to come out and play us physical. They've got some weapons we have trouble guarding. They've got a big-time low post scorer, and [Corey] Brewer was on fire tonight."

Oklahoma City will also visit LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on the current road swing.

Meanwhile, Memphis will open a quick homestand versus the Thunder and Magic and has won a franchise-best nine straight at FedEx Forum. A win tonight would give the Grizzlies their 23rd win of the season, one shy of last season's victory total.

In a 113-111 loss at New Orleans on Wednesday, Rudy Gay scored the final seven Memphis points and ended with a game-high 26 on 11-of-16 shooting. Zach Randolph ended with 25 points and 12 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who had their four-game winning streak come to an end. Randolph has posted a double-double in 11 of his last 12 games.

"We're just not executing towards the end of the game," Randolph said after the team's fourth loss in 16 tries. "We're turning the ball over, not getting back in transition. We just need to learn to put games away on the road."

The Grizzlies, who are 15-5 at home this season, are the only team in the NBA with two players (Randolph, Gay) averaging over 20 points per game and the only squad with three players (including O.J. Mayo) posting over 18 points per game. They also rank fourth in the NBA in scoring (104.4 points) and fifth in field goal percentage (.480) after averaging 93.9 points on 45.4 percent shooting in 2008-09.

Oklahoma City defeated Memphis, 102-94, on December 11 of this season at FedEx Forum and has won the last three matchups between the teams. The Thunder are unbeaten in their three most recent trips to Memphis.

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American Idol Betting Odds: Season 6  

The online gambling websites are in the process of deciphering each American Idol contestant and his or her chances of winning Season 6 to come up with the early American Idol betting lines.

Tim Dalton of MySportsbook.com has been locked away in a soundproof room coming up with all the latest tallies, we are told. "American Idol has become one of the most significant betting events of the year," claims Jack Black of MySportsbook.com.  "Last year, millions were bet during the season across the globe, not just in America.

It's tough early on since we really do not have a glimpse as to how well each of these individuals will perform solo on a week-to-week basis.  It's like Week 1 of the NFL.  Pre-season means nada!

We do know the 24 finalists however.

Sanjaya Malakar is the young man whose sister failed to make it into the Top 24.  He's very low key but - unless he totally flubs - will probably win over the young girlie vote for a few weeks anyway.  He's too young to go all the way, according to Payton O'Brien. 

Brandon Rogers - Who?

Phil Stacy is the military guy who missed his daughter's birth because of the Memphis audition.  He should go a good distance.

Chris Sligh - He's got the humor and in many ways he's the Anti-American Idol much like last year's winner Taylor Hicks was.  And this is why he'll probably get pretty far in this competition.  He's chubby, white with a big curly afro....but more importantly, a great voice!  People love "real", not "real cute" to go all the way. 

"Blake Lewis should go far because of his uniqueness and looks.  He's the boy next store with a twist - he beat boxes.  But on top of this, he's a great singer, and I adore him," Payton O'Brien relayed.

A talented beat-boxer Blake Lewis was a hit during the group sing in Hollywood but Simon explained that this is a singing contest just before he told him he was “in.”

Paul Kim has caught our own roving reporter, Jenny Woo's eyes. 

"I love the fact that there is a Korean American on the show and he is bound to get more Asians tuning into the show," Woo said from her Miami Beach estate.  "There has never been a major presence of Asian-Americans on American Idol in the past.  He's a hottie with a nice voice so that should help to take him far.  Expect heavy betting action from the Asian community."

Sundance Head - He's not perfect, but he's got the personality that will take him through a few weeks, plus he's got the lineage (son of Roy Head - whose 1965 single, "Treat Her Right," hit No. 5 in the charts) 

And the others:

Rudy Cardinas
AJ Tabaldo - the 5th time is the charm
Nicolas Pedro
Chris Richardson
Jared Cotter

The girls

"Melinda Doolittle has one of the best voices," says MySportsbook.com Reporter and an acclaimed dancer in her own right, Destiney Lewis.  "It is great to see a back up singer step out like she has.  The girl needs to gain more confidence but that can also be a positive.  I think she will go far."

Alena Alexander - Those tears (she never seems to stop bawling) should get her far.

"Single mom Lakisha Jones I suspect will be a pretty big favorite entering Week 1 of the competition," says Destiny Williams.  Jones is an excellent singer and down to earth.  "She'll have a wide appeal," echoed O'Brien.

Nicole Trellis - Seems to exert confidence.

Amy Krebs - a powerful singer.

Antonella Barba
Gina Glocksen
Hailey Scanardo
Jordan Sparks
Stephanie Edwards
Leslie Hunt
Sabrina Sloan

MySportsbook.com is offering a 20% signup bonus with an initial deposit (i.e. open your American Idol betting account with $300, receive another $60 in which to bet with). 

Last two contestants will be?

1 Male/1 Female +100 (a $10 bet pays $10 plus your initial $10)

2 Males +170 (a $10 bet pays $17 plus your initial $17)

2 Females +130 (a $10 bet pays $13 plus your initial $10)

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