Billups leads Pistons past Bucks

Basketball Betting Lines

02/21/2007 - Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chauncey Billups scored 19 points, as the Detroit Pistons held on for an 84-83 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Milwaukee's Mo Williams missed a driving layup in the final seconds of regulation, and the Pistons slapped away the rebound to preserve the win.

Charlie Bell scored 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds for the Bucks, who fought back from a 15-point first-half deficit, but still fell for the fifth straight game, and for the 15th time in 17 games. Michael Redd returned from a knee injury and contributed 17 points, and Ruben Patterson added 18 points off the bench for the Bucks.

Andrew Bogut scored 15 points for Milwaukee

Rasheed Wallace scored 16 points and pulled down 11 boards for the Pistons, who have won eight of nine. Antonio McDyess added 15 points and seven boards off the bench, and Richard Hamilton finished with 12 points and seven boards for Detroit.

"It was ugly, but I'll take it," said Hamilton.

A Bell layup pulled the Bucks to within 84-83 with 34.7 ticks left, and a Wallace airball on the ensuing possession gave Milwaukee a chance at the win. Williams pushed his running shot hard off the backboard, though, and no one on the Bucks could come up with the rebound in time to get off another shot before the buzzer sounded.

"It was tough," said Bell of the loss. "It's just tough to keep losing this way, on last-second shots."

The Bucks had finally scratched their way into the lead with a 14-6 run to start the second half. A Redd trey kicked off the stretch, and a Bell layup closed it, posting Milwaukee to a 54-53 lead with 7:04 left in the third.

The Bucks led, 64-63, entering the fourth quarter.

The Pistons stretched out an early lead with an 8-0 run midway through the first quarter, capped by a Billups three that put Detroit ahead 16-6 with 6:46 left. The Pistons pushed their lead to 12 points later in the quarter, and led 28-18 entering the second.

Detroit's lead maxed out at 15 points late in the second quarter, at 47-32 with just 2:31 left, but a late Milwaukee run gave momentum to the home team entering the break. The Bucks scored eight straight to close the first half, five points from Bell, who sank a free throw with four seconds left that pulled Milwaukee to within 47-40 at the intermission.

Game Notes

Milwaukee has lost nine straight against Central Division opponents...Bell has scored in double figures in 15 straight games...Detroit outrebounded the Bucks, 48-38.

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Pro Football Odds : NFC SOUTH BETTING ODDS

NFL Sports Betting

NFL betting action is back! At MySportsbook, all of the pro football odds are posted for the NFC North. Check out how we see the four teams in this cloudy division stacking up this year in the chase for the playoffs! Green Bay Packers (+125) - With QB Aaron Rodgers leading the offense and DC Dom Capers working his magic on defense, the Packers are a real force to be reckoned with.

Virtually nothing changed on this offense for Green Bay from last year to this year, save for the addition of rookie OT Brian Bulaga to the bunch. Expect more huge numbers from the Pack, and a relatively favorable schedule should get them over the hump and into the playoffs once again this season. My NFL Betting Predictions: 11-5, 1st place in NFC North Minnesota Vikings (+130) - There are still too many unknowns about the Vikes this year. There is a huge difference between QB Brett Favre and either Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels under center. Plus, is Favre comes back, is he really going to be able to keep his pick total under double digits again? Depth at running back looked like it might have been an issue with RB Chester Taylor fleeing in free agency, but drafting RB Toby Gerhart should pick up the difference. This defense is still suitable, but with a first place schedule, making the playoffs is going to be very tough regardless of whether #4 comes back or not.

There is a huge difference between QB Brett Favre and either Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels under center. Plus, is Favre comes back, is he really going to be able to keep his pick total under double digits again? Depth at running back looked like it might have been an issue with RB Chester Taylor fleeing in free agency, but drafting RB Toby Gerhart should pick up the difference. This defense is still suitable, but with a first place schedule, making the playoffs is going to be very tough regardless of whether #4 comes back or not. Play this weekly NFL Football Contestto see if you can win.

Chicago Bears (+350) - The Bears are probably a bit of an overhyped team once again this year.No, we don't think it is plausible for QB Jay Cutler to have as bad of a season as he did last year, and we do think the additions of RB Chester Taylor and DE Julius Peppers are going to help immensely, but there's still something in the water in the Windy City that we aren't so sure about. Maybe Chicago finds its way to .500... but then again, maybe it doesn't. If Favre comes back, Cutler might be the worst quarterback in this division this year.

Detroit Lions (+1500) - The Lions are probably once again going to be the whipping boys for the rest of the teams in the NFC North, but they aren't just going to roll over and die once again. There is some real talent amassing on this team offensively, as the combination of QB Matt Stafford, RB Jahvid Best, WR Calvin Johnson, and TE Brandon Pettigrew should put a bunch of points on the board if the offensive line can even remotely hold up. The questions really lie on defense, where it feels like DT Ndamukong Suh is going to be trying to stop opposing teams all by himself. This year should show some marked improvement in the Motor City.

The Patriots will make NFL betting fans a lot of money this season, get in early and enjoy the cash.

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