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Lakers eye West's top seed in Denver

Basketball Betting Lines

04/08/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Pacific Division-champion Los Angeles Lakers will try to clinch the West's top seed when they take a trip to the Rocky Mountains tonight to face the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center.

The Lakers are 4 1/2 games ahead of Dallas, Denver and Phoenix in the conference standings, and have lost three of their last four games. A win tonight would lock up the top seed for a third straight year (2008, 2009).

In a 100-81 setback versus the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday at Staples Center, Pau Gasol led the way with a season-high 32 points, seven rebounds and six assists, while MVP candidate Kobe Bryant finished with 22 points, eight boards and six assists for LA, which lost out on home-court advantage throughout the playoffs to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"We were flat from the middle of the second on," said Lakers coach Phil Jackson. "They took away a lot of passing lanes and we got out of rhythm. It was unfortunate for us that we couldn't get the bench going."

Lamar Odom added nine points and 13 boards in defeat. The Lakers, who will also visit Minnesota and are 22-16 as the guest in 2009-10, have dropped two straight and three of their last four road games.

With five more victories the Lakers can post back-to-back 60-win campaigns for the first time since a four-year run from 1984-85 - 1987-88.

Denver is currently embroiled in a tight race within the Northwest Division, sitting just a half-game ahead of idle Utah for the top spot, while the Thunder and Blazers are three games off the pace.

The Nuggets are tied with Dallas and Phoenix for the No. 2 seed in the West standings and have won three in a row. They will open a three-game homestand Thursday versus the Lakers, Spurs and Grizzlies and own a 32-6 mark in the Rockies this season. Dating back to March of last season, Denver has won 42 of its last 48 home games.

In Wednesday's 98-94 triumph at Oklahoma City, Carmelo Anthony overcame an upper body injury to post 24 points and 11 rebounds. Chauncey Billups drained the go-ahead free throws in the final minute of regulation and scored 15 of his 31 points in the final quarter.

"It was a big win. [The Thunder] made a big run in the fourth to go up 13. We kept our composure and chipped away at it," said Anthony, who is third in the NBA with 28.4 ppg. "We played some defense, that's what did it."

The Nuggets have won two of three meetings with the Lakers this season and are trying to win the season series for the first time since the 2006-07 campaign. LA, however, has won seven of the previous 10 matchups with Denver, which has won two straight and eight of 12 encounters at the Pepsi Center.

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Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.

Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.

MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .

''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''

Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.

He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.

''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''

Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.

Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.

With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.

Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

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