Hawks welcome 76ers to Philips Arena

Basketball Betting Lines

01/27/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia 76ers open a three-game road trip when they visit the Atlanta Hawks tonight at Philips Arena.

The 76ers had a two-game winning streak stopped with Friday's 105-97 loss to the LeBron James-less Cleveland Cavaliers in the back end of a home-and-home set at the Wachovia Center. James was out with a sore big toe.

Andre Iguodala, who netted a career-high 34 points in Wednesday's win over the Cavs, finished with 22 points and seven assists, while Andre Miller recorded his seventh career triple-double with 12 points, 12 rebounds and 13 assists for the Sixers, who were trying for their first three-game winning streak since starting the season 3-0.

Sixers guard Willie Green (sore right knee) is questionable for Saturday.

Philadelphia, which is tied with Boston for last place in the Atlantic Division, is 6-20 away from home this season and will also visit the Rockets and Hornets on the trek.

Meanwhile, the Hawks have won two straight and completed a four-game road trip with a 2-2 mark. Atlanta notched its second straight win with Friday's 93-90 victory over the Orlando Magic at Amway Arena.

Joe Johnson scored a season-high 39 points on 14-of-23 shooting and Josh Smith netted 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Hawks, who will begin a four- game homestand versus Philadelphia, Orlando, Golden State and Toronto. Atlanta is 7-11 at Philips Arena this season and 9 1/2 games off the lead in the Southeast standings.

Philadelphia defeated the Hawks, 88-75, on November 1 this season at the Wachovia Center. The Sixers have won two straight, six of seven and seven of the last nine encounters.

The 76ers have won seven of 12 at the Hawks.

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Mayweather picked to beat De La Hoya
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA -- Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya and his rival Floyd Mayweather Jr. arrived at the MGM Grand here Wednesday amid the pomp and pandemonium befitting two of the biggest stars in the sport who are about to duke it out for the WBC super welterweight crown this Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

As of Wednesday, MySportsbook.com closed its book with Mayweather a favorite to defeat De La Hoya at -170 (a $100 bet wins $70), while De La Hoya is a +140 underdog (a $100 bet wins $140).

Mayweather arrived at about 11:30 a.m. on a big truck with his face and a big "World's Best Pound-for-Pound" sign scribbled across the vehicle. He was accompanied by his entourage made up of rappers and his training team.

A crowd of close to 3,000 eager fans packed the MGM Grand lobby, with their cameras in tow, all trying to vie for position to get a good angle at Mayweather, who is acknowledged as the world's best fighter pound-for-pound.

Eric Gomez, Golden Boy Promotions vice-president, described the fan turnout as "amazing" and swore he had never seen anything quite like this event.

"The crowd was fantastic. Everybody was just too eager to see the two fighters," said ALA manager Michael Aldeguer, who was among those who waited at the lobby together with his ward Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista and AJ Banal.

De La Hoya made his own grand entrance at the hotel lobby at around 12:30 p.m. accompanied by GBP chief executive officer Richard Schaefer and trainer Freddie Roach.

The same group of fans who trooped to see Mayweather also lingered around to get a close look at De La Hoya, who has been secretly working out at a Las Vegas gym for days after arriving from his main training camp in Puerto Rico.

The golden boy then took part in a closed-door afternoon workout with Bautista and Banal. The two, along with Aldeguer and wife Christine, as well as an HBO crew were the only ones allowed inside the gym.

De La Hoya and Mayweather take part in today's final press conference before the official weigh-in this Friday.

Ring Magazine, the acknowledged bible of boxing, reported in its June 2007 issue that 12 out of 20 boxing experts it interviewed have favored Mayweather to defeat De la Hoya, with only 8 favoring the latter.

But Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao said in a recent interview with The Freeman's Emmanuel Villaruel that De La Hoya will win by unanimous decision over Mayweather.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on boxing needs.