Kobe, Lakers get back to work against Portland

Basketball Betting Lines

02/21/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - All-Star Game MVP Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers return to the court tonight, as they welcome the Portland Trail Blazers to the Staples Center.

Bryant scored 31 points, dished out six assists and had six steals to lead the West to an easy 153-132 win over the East in the 56th annual All-Star Game on Sunday at the Thomas & Mack Center.

The All-Star break came at the right time for the Lakers, who lost five in a row heading into the mid-season classic. The Lakers are in second place in the Pacific Division, 10 1/2 games behind the division-leading Phoenix Suns.

A nine-time All-Star, Bryant leads the Lakers in scoring (28.8 ppg) and assists (5.5 apg). Forward Lamar Odom, who is second on the team in scoring (16.6 ppg), has grabbed a team-best 9.4 rebounds per game.

The Lakers are 19-8 as the host this season. They are scheduled to host the Paul Pierce and the Boston Celtics on Friday in the finale of a four-game homestand.

Portland plays its second game since the All-Star break. On Tuesday, rookie Brandon Roy poured in 27 points and dished out seven assists as the Trail Blazers edged the Utah Jazz, 103-100, in the first game for both teams coming out of the All-Star break.

Zach Randolph scored 22 points and pulled down 12 rebounds in the win over the Jazz for Portland, which snapped a two-game skid, but began the second half of the schedule with one more win than they had all of last season. Ime Udoka ended with 15 points, while Dan Dickau netted 11 and Jarrett Jack finished with 10 points and six assists for the Blazers.

The Trail Blazers, who have dropped two in a row as the visitor, are 10-18 on the road this season. They return home to host the Seattle SuperSonics on Monday at the Rose Garden.

This is the second of three meetings between the clubs this season. On November 8th, Randolph posted 36 points and 10 rebounds as the Trail Blazers started picked up a 101-90 victory over the Lakers at the Rose Garden.

Portland has lost three straight and nine of its last 10 at the Lakers. The Trail Blazers have won two of the last three contests in the series.

The Lakers are scheduled to host the Trail Blazers on March 16th at the Staples Center.

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A bye week will allow Terrell Owens broken hand to recover just in time for the next game the Dallas Cowboys are slated to play, according to reports. MySportsbook.com, an football sportsbook, has posted football betting lines on TO playing.

Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger Sunday night and had a plate surgically attached to it Monday. Although Owens' hand was swollen and aching Wednesday, Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said he's optimistic the receiver will be back at work next week and catching passes a week from Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

MySportsbook.com online sportsbook listed Terrell Owens with odds of 7-2 (or $7 paid out for every $2 bet) to return back for the game against Tennessee.

"I certainly wouldn't rule it out now," Parcells said, referring to Terrell Owens immediate return. "Maybe five days from now I might, but I wouldn't rule it out now. ... I know we're looking to try to get him moving around pretty good in the next day or so. So we'll see where we are."

Owens did not speak with reporters Wednesday, but said Sunday he'd be out two to four weeks. A return against the Titans would be 13 days after the surgery. The Cowboys were listed as an early -7 1/2 favorite vs. the Tennessee Titans for Week 4 at MySportsbook.com

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