Pistons and Nets kick off home-and-home set in Jersey
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02/08/2012 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Only one of Detroit's six wins this season has come on the road and the Pistons would like to change that as early as tonight, when they pay a visit to the New Jersey Nets in the opener of a home-and-home set.
The Pistons and Nets will then meet at The Palace of Auburn Hills on Friday.
Detroit is just 1-12 away from home this season and is winless in its previous seven games as the guest. It hasn't tasted victory on the road since a 98-81 triumph at Charlotte on Jan. 13, but will try to extend its current winning streak to a season-high three games in the Garden State. In Saturday's 89-87 win versus New Orleans at The Palace, Greg Monroe led the way with 24 points and 16 rebounds, and is averaging 18.8 points and 11.0 rebounds in his last eight games. Monroe is second in the NBA in offensive rebounds (101) and ranks ninth in the NBA in double-doubles with 13 this season.
"It's more or less effort; that's basically it," Monroe said about his performance. "That's what everybody preaches, effort and position. That's something I take pride in, so what you see on the court is just me working hard, trying to do my job."
Rodney Stuckey posted 17 points for Detroit, which has won two in a row since a seven-game slide and last won three straight from April 6-10, 2011. The Pistons are only 4-14 versus the East this season and will begin a three-game homestand versus the Nets, Wizards and Spurs at the end of the week. Detroit rookie Brandon Knight left the game with a broken nose after taking an elbow to the nose halfway through the first quarter. He is probable for tonight.
Ben Gordon and Will Bynum are still nursing injuries and their status for Wednesday's game is unknown. Gordon has been sidelined the last 10 games with a sore left shoulder and Bynum has missed 14 in a row with a strained right foot tendon.
The Nets have dropped three in a row and five of their last six games, including Monday's 108-87 loss to the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls lost reigning MVP Derrick Rose in the second quarter to lower back spasms and New Jersey still couldn't take advantage.
Deron Williams ended with 25 points and five assists for the Nets, who fell to 3-8 as the host this season and are in the midst of playing six of eight games in Newark, NJ. Sundiata Gaines and Jordan Farmar scored 12 and 11 points, respectively, in a losing effort. Kris Humphries added 10 points and nine boards, and is averaging 13.4 points and 10.4 rebounds per game.
After the Nets visit Detroit on Friday they will head back home for back-to- back games versus the Spurs and Grizzlies. New Jersey is 6-13 against teams from the Eastern Conference and 8-18 overall this season.
New Jersey won the first meeting with Detroit, 99-96, last Wednesday behind 26 points and nine assists from Williams. Humphries added 18 points and eight rebounds, while the Pistons were led by 21 points from both Monroe and Tayshaun Prince. The Nets have won four of the last six matchups with Detroit.
The Pistons are winless in four straight trips to the Garden State.
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Colts give the ‘D’ its due
The Indianapolis Colts know that winning the Super Bowl last season put a huge target on their backs, and they expect opponents to go all-out to knock them from the top of the mountain.
They’ll get their first test from the New Orleans Saints this Thursday night. The defending champs had nothing but good things to say about the New Orleans defense this past week, praising their opponents’ pass rush and run-stopping abilities.
"They play very aggressively," head coach Tony Dungy told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "They play a lot of man-to-man coverage, and they come after you. They have good pass rushers, and they're going to try to pressure us, I'm sure."
Both center Jeff Saturday and quarterback Peyton Manning gave New Orleans’ front four props, admitting keeping guys like Will Smithand Charles Grant contained would be a tall task for the offensive line.
New Orleans ranked second in total defense during the preseason at a sportsbook, allowing just under 233 yards per game. Last season, the defense finished 11th in the league after giving up 307.3 yards and 20.1 points per contest.
Not so sound on the ground
If Indianapolis' efficient offense has a weakness it has to be its running attack. The Colts one-two-punch of Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai is no longer, leaving the bulk of the carries to Addai, the second-year back out of LSU.
Former Saskatchewan Roughrider Kenton Keith was named Addai’s backup this week after beating out DeDe Dorsey for the second-string position. Indy has only three backs on the roster right now, including fullback Luke Lawton, and coach Dungy is aware of the thinness of his ground game. Sports Betting lines on the game can be found at BettingExpress.com
“We’ll continue to look. Luke Lawton’s done a good job for us too. So probably getting a third true tailback is something that we’d like to do,” Dungy told the Indiana Tribune-Star.
Last season, Addai rushed for over 1,000 yards in his rookie campaign and scored seven touchdowns on the ground.
Brees says bring it on
Opening the season on the road against the defending Super Bowl champions is not the way most teams would like to kick off their year – unless you’re the New Orleans Saints or their quarterback Drew Brees. This internet Sportsbooks had the Saints as the favorites.
Brees told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that he is excited to get the regular season started and the Colts are a great challenge for him and his teammates. The 28-year-old QB, entering his second season with the Saints, is expecting a wild environment in the RCA Dome this Thursday when the franchise celebrates its 2007-2007 championship.
Brees said he sees the opening game scheduling as an honor and a testament to how well New Orleans did last season. The Saints missed facing the Colts in the Super Bowl by one game, losing to the Chicago Bearsin the NFC Championship game.
"I mean, people think we can hang with these guys," Brees told reporters. "Even if they didn't, it wouldn't matter what they thought because as a team we're very confident. We know what we can do. We're not satisfied where we finished the season last year. And we've been looking forward to this opportunity for a long time."
SportsBooks ready for a shootout
Oddsmakers are preparing for some fireworks this Thursday when the NFL season kicks off. online Sportsbooks have Thursday’s total set at a whopping 52 points, accounting for two of the league’s most explosive offenses.
“This is like must-see TV,” Saints cornerback and former Colt Jason David told the Baton Rouge Advocate. “It’s two exciting offenses with great players. You’ve got a lot of star power on offense. At any given time a big play can happen. If I was a fan, I wouldn’t miss a snap.”
New Orleans, who ranked No.1 in total offense last season, can go blow-for-blow with the Colts’ attack. Head coach Sean Payton’s offensive schemes will get even better production out of Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and receiver Marques Colston now that they’ve each had a season of playing together under their belts.
The Saints and Colts were the top two passing teams in the NFL last year, but while Indianapolis managed to put up almost 27 points per game, New Orleans struggled to capitalize on their efforts. The Saints ranked fifth in points per game.
“Yards are great,” running backDeuce McAllister told reporters, “but to be able to score more touchdowns would be important for us.”
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