FIBA World Basketball Championship Preview - Group A

Basketball Betting Lines

08/25/2010 - Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) -

Country: Angola

FIBA Ranking: 12

Head Coach: Luis Magalhaes

Key Players: Joaquim 'Kikas' Gomes, Olimpio Cipriano

Overview: For years, the Angolan team has been associated as the African nation Charles Barkley eloquently referred to, "All I know about Angola is they in trouble." Times have changed and the Angolans have become one of Africa's most dominant team. By qualifying for this tournament, the Angolans were crowned African champions for the 10th time in the last 20 years.

Strengths: The African champs have a shortage of length up front but make up for their lack of size with grit and toughness. This has been the staple of Angolan basketball for years as they also bolster a lineup of athletic players who can get up and down the court with the best of them.

Weaknesses: Having only one player standing as tall as six-foot-10, grabbing rebounds and playing interior defense can be rather taxing. The Angolans will also have a shortage of shooters as they roster a plethora of slashers with little to no three-point shooting to speak of.

Tournament Expectations: Group A is quite possibly the deepest of all the groups. With Argentina, Germany and Serbia all ranked in the top-10 in the world, it will be difficult for the African champs to move towards the Round of 16. Their lack of size will be too much to overcome as the elite teams have will overwhelm them with size.

Country: Argentina

FIBA Ranking: 1

Head Coach: Sergio Hernandez

Key Players: Luis Scola, Carlos Delfino, Andres Nocioni

Overview: This Argentina team will try to make the farewell tour for the group known as the "Golden Generation" memorable one. The origin of the name goes to the fact this same group are the ones who claimed silver at the 2002 FIBA World Championships, gold at the 2004 Olympics and bronze at the 2008 Olympic Games. Although they will be without its star, Manu Ginobili, there's no shortage of skill on a squad destined to make noise.

Strengths: Having one of the most balanced and well disciplined teams in the world has helped the Argentineans development over the past decade. Assisting in that balance has been the stellar interior play of Luis Scola, who at the 2009 FIBA Americas Championship was named tournament MVP. Along with Andres Nocioni and Carlos Delfino, the NBA contingent will play a large role in the success of the South Americans.

Weaknesses: With no Ginobili, the Argentineans will be left without a star got-to-player at the end of games. Also, being a veteran team means there isn't a ton of youthful vitality on the floor and the lack of athleticism could prove to be problematic against some of the more elite competition.

Tournament Expectations: Getting out of a tough Group A will be its first task but this team is capable of taking it as far as its tested veterans can manage to take them.

Country: Australia

FIBA Ranking: 11

Head Coach: Brett Brown

Key Players: Patrick Mills, David Andersen

Overview: It's been nearly 10 years since the Aussies have tasted a top-five finish at the Olympics or World Championship and with their star center, Andrew Bogut, out of action it's a trend that could likely continue.

Strengths: Going through a time of change and revival, this team from down under has one of the youngest lineups in international play. Their youthful line up can provide a number of challenges as they have knack to be pesky physical defenders, something opponents don't necessarily appreciate. They also have a formidable front court that will provide the defense and rebounding needed to compete. The experience the young players have on a high level of play is exceptional and will prove to be a benefit for them against other established talent in the tournament.

Weaknesses: Not having a top tier-point guard and center will hamper the possibilities the Boomers have in sight. Their inexperience and youth could potentially be volatile as there is little to no veteran experience to speak of.

Tournament Expectations: Making it into the Round of 16 won't be enough for the Boomers as the fourth place team in Group A will be matched up with the top seed from Group B, most likely the United States. With that in mind, the Australians will be in tough as they face quality opponents in Germany, Serbia and Argentina on their way into the Round of 16 and quarter finals.

Country: Germany

FIBA Ranking: 7

Head Coach: Dirk Bauermann

Key Players: Jan Jagla

Overview: Going into Turkey, the Germans will be without the one man synonymous with the team over the past 10 years, Dirk Nowitzki. In his absence the Germans will try to revive a squad of aging veterans from the 2008 Olympic campaign with some young blood.

Strengths: The Germans still bolster one of the biggest front lines in international competition and will have a sizable advantage on the interior once again. Their experience could be beneficial in close games but the experience and wit of bench boss, Bauermann, could be their biggest edge.

Weaknesses: With no Nowitzki, this team will be hard pressed to find a go-to- guy late in games. The backcourt is also a source of concern as there seems to be no current players exceptionally adept to being creative playmakers as some of the better talent waits in the wings.

Tournament Expectations: This is one of the hardest teams in the tournament to gauge. If their showing at the 2008 Olympics is an indication of what to expect, this Dirk-less edition will be hard pressed to make it out of a highly competitive Group A.

Country: Jordan

FIBA Ranking: 38

Head Coach: Mario Palma

Key Players: Rasheim Wright

Overview: Set to make its inaugural appearance at the FIBA World Championships, Jordan can credit a large part of its recent success to head coach Mario Palma.

Strengths: In Rasheim Wright, the Jordanians have one of the most prolific scorers in international competition as they rode their star throughout the FIBA Asia Championship in order to qualify for this summer's tournament. They also have a wizard on the bench in Palma, so given the opportunity this is a team that could surprise a few.

Weaknesses: A large majority of Jordanian players participated in limited amount of games due to the dissolution of their basketball federation a year ago. With such little experience, this team will have their work cut out for them.

Tournament Expectations: There's no chance this team catches a whiff of the Round of 16 but a single victory would go a long way for the program. Finding it at this tournament may be too much to ask for.

Country: Serbia

FIBA Ranking: 5

Head Coach: Dusan Ivkovic

Key Players: Nenad Krstic, Milos Teodosic

Overview: Before last year's Euro Basket 2009 in Poland, this team hadn't finished in the top-five in any international event since winning gold in 2002 at the World Championship in Indianapolis. Yet they still managed to find a youthful resurgence that helped them regain their place atop the European rankings.

Strengths: Serbia found out at last year's qualifier that they had very good talent at the youth level, as a number of its NBA players chose not to participate. The youngsters have been playing together and under coach Ivkovic for nearly three years and have developed a strong demeanor on the court. The guard play is exceptional and there is no shortage of size on this roster. Krstic, however, still could be suspended because of his role in a bench- clearing brawl during Serbia's exhibition game against Greece.

Weaknesses: Much of what makes the Serbs so intriguing is what makes them so vulnerable. The youth can be tough to handle if the situation gets rough, as a pre-tournament brawl with Greece indicates. How Serbia handles adversity could play a factor in determining where they finish.

Tournament Expectations: Even with most of its NBA players unavailable, this team intends to not just simply compete but to come out of Group A and contend for the entire tournament. Anything less than a quarter-final appearance will be seen as a disappointment.

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SPORTS BETTING: NFL Football Sportsbook Betting

NFL owners, already life's biggest winners, want to try their luck with the lottery.


That was the news out of their meetings last week, where team bosses voted unanimously to allow stamping state and local lottery tickets with franchise logos, if, ahem, any governments wanted to do a deal.

A shocker: Within days the Pats announced they'd be sponsoring the Massachusetts state lottery, the Skins said they'd slap their sticker on Virginia scratch-offs and the Ravens admitted they were talking to Maryland lottery bosses. In all likelihood, it won't be long before every team is a presenting sponsor of scratch-offs or just plain old pick fives. "The change in policy was approved 32-0," said NFL spokesman Greg Aiello. "So you can expect to see more deals soon."

It's a branding opportunity too big for the owners to ignore, and one a couple of dozen baseball franchises have enjoyed for years. The fact the NFL has been slower to act than those slack-brained Seligites is indicative of its complicated relationship with all forms of gambling. Consider this: Last Thursday, as the Pats and the Redskins finalized their new lottery deals, a lawyer representing the NFL argued before Delaware's Supreme Court that the state's newly signed sports betting law should be repealed.

The NFL betting is the face of opposition to sports gambling . And as much as it would like to share that responsibility with other leagues, that's not going to happen as long as more than 40% of all money legally wagered on games is bet on football. That's why the Brewers can do a multi-million dollar deal with a local casino, or the Celtics can make their own pact with the Mass lottery, and the response is, "Sweet, let's play." But when the NFL does it the stakes are higher, and everyone from NPR's Frank Deford to the Associated Press to the guys blogging at Deadspin will line up to play gotcha.

So I asked Aiello, who surely knew there'd be piling on, how the league can rail against being bait for sports bettors, then allow its franchises to be just that for lotteries, the most insidious and addictive form of gambling around. He emailed me this response: "We are not moral crusaders. NFL personnel are permitted to engage in legal forms of gambling, except for betting on NFL games. We are making a distinction here between the spread of gambling on the outcome of our games and supporting state lottery scratch-off games, that have nothing to do with the outcome of our games."

Here's where I should rip him. But, the thing is, he's right. Not to get Obama on you, but this is a complicated, nuanced issue. As much as lotteries are considered a tax on the poor, the NFL isn't a socially obligated government program -- it's just a business. Scratch-off's help the bottom line, sports betting doesn't. Now, it's okay to call the league hypocritical when it releases injury reports, which players have told me only helps bettors … But when it supports other forms of gaming? Big Deal.

Now, it's okay to call the league hypocritical when it releases injury reports, which players have told me only helps bettors. And it's okay to mutter something obscene when the league pretends gambling doesn't help drive TV ratings and fan interest and put money in owners' pockets. But when it supports other forms of gaming? Big Deal. The Bears should put an orange "C" on every deck of cards dealt at Harrah's in Joliet; the Eagles should slap their logo on roulette wheels at the Borgata in Atlantic City; the Dolphins should hold training camp at the El San Juan in Puerto Rico.

Seriously.

The NFL's problem, when it comes to the gambling world, isn't hypocrisy, it's worse: The bosses lack vision. That's why the league is picking unwinnable fights in Delaware and taking pot shots from critics after making smart sponsorship deals. Roger Goodell and his gang are acting and thinking locally rather than globally, which is rare for them, especially compared to their professional (and amateur) counterparts.

The NBA held its All Star game in Las Vegas and David Stern's kingdom didn't crumble (although the town did bring plenty of players to their knees.) I'd say it's 6 to 5 and pick 'em that Lebron will make a road swing through Sin City before his career is over.

Even the NCAA College Football Betting is more progressive on this issue than the NFL. Several years ago Rachel Newman Baker, college sports' gambling czar, opened a dialogue with Vegas bookmakers to learn about how they do business. She's visited Nevada sports books, studied their operations and listened to how they regulate action. Now she knows she can expect a call from bookmakers, who lose money when sports are fixed, if they think something sketchy is going on in NCAA games. She's not in favor of sports betting, but, as she once told me, "I know it's not going away, either."

The NFL can't seem to accept that. And until it can find peace with the idea, it'll get flack, even when it's right.

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SPORTS BETTING - Tennis is an underrated and under-utilized bettors' sport.

Ten years ago, at just about this time, I called Alan Boston in Vegas and left him a voicemail that went something like this (abridged version): "Hey Alan, Chad Millman from ESPN The Magazine calling. I want to do a book about wise guys, you in?"

A couple weeks later I got a message back (abridged version): "I don't know, maybe," Boston said. "Call me and we'll talk about it. But not later today. I got $1,000 on Andre Agassi to win the French Open at 40-1, and he's in the finals."

Here's what happened next (abridged version): Agassi won his tourney. Boston won his $40,000. I wrote sportsbook.

In the ten years since, how much has been wagered on the big-time tennis events? Put it this way: The Nevada Gaming Commission doesn't even track the number year by year because it's so small.

"Tennis makes up about one-tenth of one percent of our take," says Lucky's bookmaking boss Jimmy Vaccaro. "The last big golf major we probably had $100,000 worth of bets. In tennis, we might have written two big tickets."

Tennis' lack of popularity amongst the American bettoratti is no surprise, really. For starters, the biggest sports betting holidays -- the Super Bowl, the NCAA tourney -- are must see TV. People, at least the degenerates I know, plan vacations around watching those events in Vegas sports books.

But Wimbledon? Doesn't exactly reel in the whales. "Seriously, it's the nuts as an event," says Boston. "But who even knows when it's on?"

Here's another reason that helps explain why golf gets traction, something I call "The Bubbe Theory." My Bubbe is pushing 95 and has cataracts so bad that, to her, even the most crystalline Chicago day is mostly cloudy. But she still listens to the Cubs games, and she still calls me in a fit if she disagrees with something Rick Telander writes in the Chicago Sun Times. She's a sports fan. If she doesn't know you, you're just filling a niche. And niche players, even historically good ones like Roger and Raf, don't drive betting volume. Only the highest profile names attract square money, which inflates wagering totals like a shot of saline to the lips. Bubbe, and the public, loved Agassi, tennis' last cross-the-rubicon, mainstream draw. She also has a crush on Tiger. She's given me standing orders to put a sawbuck on the big cat whenever I walk through a sports book (or mistakenly tap into one via my Internet machine.) That explains why the Masters is getting $100K in action at some books while the four tennis majors might not get that combined this year.

This isn't a case of tennis being a difficult sport to bet. In fact, in Europe, it's probably the second most popular sport for gambling after soccer. Granted, as the WSJ football betting last week and The Mag's Shaun Assael examined in even greater depth last year, that might be because gamblers across the pond see it as an easy game to fix. But it could also be because, over there it holds the kind of sway the big two do over here.

Street corners in Spain are peppered with public courts and kids doing their best Raffy impressions. In some war torn parts of Eastern Europe poverty-stricken kids view tennis as an escape route, like football or basketball here. A couple years ago The Mag's Lindsay Berra wrote a great piece about Belgrade's Jelena Jankovic, Ana Ivanovic and Novak Djokovic. They learned the game as kids while bombs were raining down on their homeland. They practiced in drained swimming pools. Not exactly Nick Bolletierri conditions.

In the United States, casual fans think tennis is played four times a year. But on the tightly packed European continent, national interest in homegrown talent runs deep every weekend. Of the ATP's current top 20 players, only two, tennis betting and James Blake, are American. Fourteen are from Europe, representing six different countries.

No wonder fans from Lisbon to Bhudapest get jacked up for the net game, whether it's Wimbledon or a low-level tourney like the Estoril Open in Portugal (congrats to Spain's Albert Montanes for winning that one, btw). Chances are good that someone representing their flag will not only be playing, but have a shot at winning.

And that's all any bettor can ask for.

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