Bosh and Raptors down Warriors in OT

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10/31/2008 - Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chris Bosh finished with 31 points, including four in a dominant overtime period, as the Toronto Raptors defeated the Golden State Warriors, 112-108, in their home opener.

Anthony Parker finished with 23 points for the Raptors, who have won their past four home openers. Jose Calderon added 16 points and 13 assists and brought down five rebounds in the win for Toronto, which remained perfect on the season at 2-0.

Al Harrington led Golden State with 26 points and 11 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to keep the Warriors from remaining winless. They are 0-2, but the losses have been by a combined nine points.

Andris Biedrins recorded 17 points and 13 boards in the loss for Golden State.

After an extremely tight fourth quarter, Toronto dominated the opening minutes of overtime to pull away with the win. Calderon began an eight-point run with a layup, and Bosh later followed with a jumper. Andrea Bargnani added a basket, and Calderon's two free throws with about a minute left gave the Raptors a 104-96 lead -- enough of an advantage to prevent any Golden State comeback.

The Warriors managed to score 10 points in the final minute of overtime, but missed six shots and had two turnovers during Toronto's run in the extra session.

The game went to overtime after the teams played a back-and-forth final stanza. Corey Maggette's jumper with just under five minutes left gave Golden State a 90-85 lead, but Bargnani countered with a three-pointer.

Stephen Jackson then drilled a three for the Warriors, but Calderon answered with a basket to draw Toronto within 93-90 with 3:15 on the clock.

Bosh made up some of the deficit by making two free throws -- twice going 1- for-2 from the line -- to make it a 93-92 game with 1:07 left.

After Maggette missed a pullup jumper, Bosh grabbed the rebound and the Raptors called timeout with 42.7 showing on the clock. Bosh handled the ball once the game resumed and went for a baseline drive on the right side of the basket, dunking to give Toronto a one-point lead with 29.3 seconds left.

Jermaine O'Neal came up with a big block for the Raptors on Golden State's ensuing possession, but the ball bounced out to Harrington, who canned a three-pointer from the left side of the arc. It gave the Warriors a 96-94 edge with just 22.1 ticks left.

But Bosh was fouled on his next drive, and drained both free throws to tie the game with 14.5 seconds on the clock. The teams missed all their shots in the time remaining in regulation, forcing the extra session.

Toronto used an 11-point run in the opening quarter to go up 24-17 on Parker's three-pointer with 1:39 left, and the Raptors led 28-22 after one stanza.

But Golden State made up almost all of the lead by scoring the first four points of the second quarter, and the teams traded runs before halftime. A three from Jason Kapono and bucket from O'Neal gave the Raptors a 45-33 lead with about five minutes left before the half, but Golden State rallied with a 15-2 burst right after. The Warriors took a 48-47 lead on Jackson's three, and Toronto eventually took a 51-50 lead into the break.

The teams stayed close in the third quarter, and Parker's jumper with seconds left on the clock handed Toronto a 75-73 lead going into the fourth, and both clubs traded baskets down the stretch.

Game Notes

The Warriors on Friday exercised third-year options on the contracts of guard Marco Belinelli and forward Brandan Wright. They, however, declined the fourth-year option on guard Marcus Williams...Biedrins had a double-double in each of the first two games this season for Golden State...Toronto made 26- of-30 free throws, while Golden State was just 13-for-19.

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FOOTBALL BETTING

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After all the trouble that’s ensued since Braylon Edwards allegedly punched one of LeBron James’ homeboys in the face at a club, the Cleveland Browns have sent away their last remaining player of worth to the New York Jets. This is a great move for Dirty Sanchez and all, but it’s even better for the Knicks. Now Donnie Walsh can say, “You get to haunt Braylon Edwards with your posse if you sign here!” next summer.

Putting that aside for a moment, the move is a clear indication that the new-look Jets are gunning for the Super Bowl this year. I don’t think that New York thought that Dirty Sanchez was going to be such a rock star. With a 75.2 passer rating that was killed against the Jets, Sanchez is doing an admirable job of managing games and putting the Jets in a position to win. The defense has been the major story in New York thus far, but the acquisition of Braylon Edwards makes this offense loaded with talent that can dent any defense…as long as Dirty Sanchez continues his meteoric rise.

Thus far, Edwards has been a non-factor in the NFL piling up just 139 receiving yards on 10 catches. He has yet to find the endzone, and with the Browns mired in the most unsexy quarterback controversy of all time (Anderson vs. Quinn...yawn), there going nowhere fast. Edwards is two seasons removed from a career year which saw him catch 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns when the Browns were the spread killing monsters of 2007. In 2008, injuries slowed the receiver down to just 873 yards and three touchdowns though he played in all 16 games.

So that being said, we really don’t know if Braylon Edwards is just a flash in the pan, or a legit threat. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he is a prototypical receiver. But he’s also shown a strange, and unwarranted, talent for dropping passes. Lining up opposite Jericho Cotchery, a speed demon with 23 catches, 356 yards and a single touchdown, may give Braylon the open looks he needs. A change of scenery may also rejuvenate the star receiver.

In return, the Browns will receive Chansi Stuckey, online football betting a special teams player you’ve never heard of and a pair of draft picks. That’s a tall order for a guy whose only real value right now is in his name, and it shows no promise to the Browns that they can rebuild around those acquisitions. Braylon was the only reason to hope for the Browns to go 3-14 SU this year. Without him, they don’t have a single guy on offense that can scare any team.

For the Jets, it’s a response to the pounding that they took at the hand of the Saints. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington have averaged around 4.0 yards per carry each on the ground, but striking a fair balance between the passing and rushing attacks in New York has been a struggle. You have to believe that the trio of Dustin Keller, Jericho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards will give Sanchez the weapons he needs to unleash through the air. Theoretically, that would open up holes for the rushing game. But the proposed public option health care plan works in theory too. We need to see the proof in the pudding before we start loading up mega bucks on the New York Jets to take the AFC.

The one wrinkle in this whole thing is that Braylon could very well be suspended by the league for disciplinary action due to his “brawl” with LeBron’s friend. If that’s the case, the Jets may have to bench him for a few games leaving them with a somewhat depleted receiving corps for a few games. Also, this is a guy who gets in fights with people at clubs. New York may not be the best place for him. Just sayin’.

The Jets have a long week before they meet the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football Betting in a virtual pick ‘em game. Braylon’s excess baggage may be a distraction, and his curiously low production may be what we should be expecting of him overall, but for the Jets, taking a chance to strike gold is well worth it. At the end of the year, they can simply just blame it on their rookie quarterback.

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