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Miller expecting plenty of open looks with HeatBasketball Betting Lines07/20/2010 - MIAMI (AP) -With just about every Miami Heat acquisition this summer, another recruiting story seems to emerge. Dwyane Wade helped lure LeBron James and Chris Bosh. James played a big role in talking Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Mike Miller into coming to Miami. And now, Miller is taking a turn. Only days after signing with Miami, Miller is talking to close pal Jason Williams about reuniting with the team. Williams started at point guard for the Heat during Miami's championship season in 2006. ``I'd love to have him,'' said Miller, who spoke to Williams on Sunday. ``Obviously, it has to work out on both sides. J-Will would have to want to come back and Miami would have to be good with that. I just talked to him more as a friend, just to see how he's doing and what he's thinking about doing. I'm just excited for him. He had an unbelievable year last year and we'll see what happens in the future here.'' It might be a long shot, getting Williams back to Miami. Fortunately for the Heat, Miller didn't need much convincing. He agreed to a deal with Miami shortly after James said he was coming to join Wade and Bosh. Like at least four other players - James, Wade, Bosh and Udonis Haslem - Miller took significantly less money from Heat owner Micky Arison than he could have made elsewhere in order to be part of the rebuilt Miami roster. Miller took a five-year deal worth around $25 million. So far this summer, Miami has closed roughly $400 million worth of deals, and done so at what might be considered around the league as bargain prices. ``In order for it to happen, it took a lot of moving parts to come together,'' Miller said. ``For one, (Heat president) Pat Riley had to do an amazing job to clear cap space, and then Mr. Arison had to go out and spend every dollar he could possibly spend to get everybody and then guys had to take less. So it was a commitment all around the board.'' Miller isn't sure if he'll start for Miami this coming season, nor has he been told exactly what role he'll have on the rebuilt Heat roster. He just knows he should be open - a lot. The NBA's second-best shooter from 3-point range last season came to the Heat in large part because of the opportunities he could get playing alongside Wade and James. Knowing they'll be double-covered much of the time, someone should usually be open, and that somebody could very well be him. ``There should be a lot of looks,'' Miller said. ``There's no question about it.'' Miller has started at least 47 games in nine of his first 10 NBA seasons, with the lone exception when he came off the bench 65 times for Memphis in 2005-06. He was a runaway winner of the NBA's sixth man award that season, easily outdistancing Speedy Claxton and Jerry Stackhouse. Being the top reserve might be his starting point in Miami. Miller plays shooting guard and small forward primarily, spots also held by Wade and James. ``We can chalk those guys in as the starters,'' Miller said. ``I think it'll probably be a role that I play and I have no problem with that. I'm just here to help win games and if that's one of the ways that we can do it, then that's what I'll do.'' Coming to Miami also made sense to Miller in one other way. He gets to pair with Haslem again. They were teammates on the Florida team that lost the 2000 NCAA title game. And Miller and Haslem have talked for years about the chance to be teammates one more time. ``Unfinished business,'' Miller said. They'll have a chance at a bigger prize together with the Heat.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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Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nate Schierholtz's two-run homer in the fourth inning proved to be the difference, as the San Francisco Giants held off the Los Angeles Dodgers, 5-2, in the opener of a three-game series between these t
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Monty selects vice captains for Ryder Cup >>
Wentworth, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie has selected Thomas Bjorn, Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley as his vice captains for this year's team. The 2010 Ryder Cup will be staged October 1-3 at the Cel
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Pro Football Odds : NFC SOUTH BETTING ODDSNFL 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. To visit this sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your NFL football betting needs. |
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