Bulls try to continue strong play at Minnesota

Basketball Betting Lines

12/26/2006 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Bulls are on a roll and will visit the Minnesota Timberwolves this evening at the Target Center.

Chicago is just two games behind Detroit for the lead in the Central Division and has won 13 of its last 15 games overall. On Saturday the Bulls posted a 115-76 triumph over the Charlotte Bobcats at the United Center.

Ben Gordon poured in 23 points and Andres Nocioni had 19 points and 11 rebounds for the Bulls, who rebounded from a 103-92 loss to the New York Knicks on Friday. Thabo Sefolosha and Tyrus Thomas each scored 14 points, while Sefolosha grabbed nine rebounds for Chicago.

The Bulls will try to improve on their 4-9 mark away from Chicago this season.

Meanwhile, Minnesota stopped a four-game losing streak by notching a 78-71 win over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Kevin Garnett scored 29 points and pulled down 19 rebounds to lead the Timberwolves. Randy Foye was the only other Timberwolves player to register double figures in any offensive category, finishing with 10 points and five rebounds.

Minnesota, which is 6-5 at home this season, is seven games off the lead in the Northwest Division. It is also 1-0 against Chicago this season after a 91-81 victory on December 9 at the United Center.

The Timberwolves have won two of three, 12 of 15 and 13 of the last 17 matchups in the series.

Chicago has dropped seven of its last eight trips to Minnesota.

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MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.

Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.

According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).

Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.

''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
    
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.

Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.

''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''

Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
   
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.

”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
   
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.

For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.