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.

Wwwsoccerstore Basketball Betting News

<< Hara will take charge of Japan on interim basis
Tokyo, Japan (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hiromi Hara, the technical director of the Japanese Football Association, will take charge of the national team for a pair of upcoming friendlies as he continues to search for a new manager. Japan adv

<< Juventus confirms Aquilani move
Turin, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Juventus announced on Wednesday that the club has acquired Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani on loan, with an option for a permanent move for $20 million at the end of the season. The 26-year-old Aquila

<< Bolts re-sign Downie
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Lightning have reportedly re- signed restricted free agent Steve Downie. According to TSN of Canada, the right winger signed a two-year, $3.7 million deal. Downie, 23, had 22 goals, 24 a

<< FCS Season Preview: Missouri Valley
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With Southern Illinois having won a record 14 straight conference games and gone 15-1 since the Missouri Valley Football Conference replaced its old Gateway name in 2008, it is easy to overlook something abou

<< Edmonton hopes to turn season around in clash with Saskatchewan
Edmonton, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Edmonton Eskimos soldier on this weekend as they entertain the Saskatchewan Roughriders in a Western Division showdown at Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday night. Both teams enjoyed a week off recently, alt

FIBA World Basketball Championship Preview - Group B >>
Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Country: Brazil FIBA Ranking: 14 Head Coach: Ruben Magnano Key Players: Leandro Barbosa, Anderson Varejao, Tiago Splitter Overview: Under the guidance of new head coach Ruben Magnano, who had pr

FIBA World Basketball Championship Preview - Group C >>
Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Country: China FIBA Ranking: 9 Head Coach: Bob Donewald Key Players: Yi Jianlian, Wang Zhizhi, Sun Yue Overview: China will be without the services of superstar Yao Ming as he continues to battl

FCD producing positive results under Hyndman >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Suddenly FC Dallas is looking like a legitimate contender in Major League Soccer under head coach Schellas Hyndman. That hasn't always been the case since the long-time Southern Methodist University coach took ove

FIBA World Basketball Championship Preview - Group D >>
Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Country: Canada FIBA Ranking: 19 Head Coach: Leo Rautins Key Players: Joel Anthony, Andy Rautins Overview: It's been sometime since Canada has made an impact on the world stage and since the de

Kroenke becomes majority owner of Rams >>
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Rams announced on Wednesday that E. Stanley Kroenke has become the majority owner of the club. The decision was made via a vote by the rest of the league's owners at a meeting in Atlanta. "St

Eastern Conference Playoff Betting Trends

We all know by now that the “public” loves to put their money on the FAVORITES and the OVERS.  Just by taking a quick glance at Sportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends” it appears as is this tendency will continue as far as the Eastern Conference games are concerned.  For the inaugural games of the first round, 69% of the early money is on Toronto -4.5; 59% of bettors prefer Chicago -4.5; 84% are backing Detroit -9; and 56% think Cleveland -11.5 is the way to go.  As far as TOTALS are concerned, the only UNDER the “public” is backing is the Cleveland/ Washington game in which 83% are pounding the UNDER (190).  Remember, there is no better way to predict a possible line change than by monitoring MySportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends”.   By determining who the “public” is backing, you can get the most ideal line for your bet.  For example, if you are siding with the public you better place your bet before the line moves in the wrong direction.  On the other side of the coin, if you prefer the team that the “public” is betting against; you might be able to get and extra ½ or even more by placing your bet a bit later.  Under the “Betting Trends” section, Sportsbook.com also provides plenty of statistical data and trends in order for the bettor to make the most informed pick.  Below are some extremely important trends for the first round opponents of the Eastern Conference match-ups, more can be found at MySportsbook.com

New Jersey Nets vs. Toronto Raptors

Toronto was the most reliable covering team this season with a 48-33-1 ATS record but covered the OVER only 41.5% of the time.
The last 20 times these teams have played, the TOTAL has gone UNDER 16 times.
Versus Eastern Conference teams, Toronto is 33-19 ATS including 17-9 at home.
 New Jersey has covered four games in a row while Toronto has failed to cover their last four games.
When playing a team with a winning record during the second half of the season, New Jersey was just 5-13 ATS this season.
After scoring 105 points or more, Toronto has covered the OVER only 28% of the time this season. 
 
Miami Heat @ Chicago Bulls

Miami has failed to cover their last 7 games whereas Chicago has covered 6 out of their last 8 games.
Miami has covered the UNDER in four of their last five games whereas Chicago has covered the UNDER in five out of their last six.
When playing on Saturdays, Miami covered 80% of their games this season.
Away from home, Chicago is just 16-25 ATS this season.
At home, Miami covered the UNDER about 66% of the time whereas Chicago covered the UNDER about 61% of the time.
The last 13 times these teams have played each other, Chicago has covered 9 times.
In Miami’s last 11 road games, the UNDER covered 9 times. 
 
Orlando Magic @ Detroit Pistons

Detroit has covered 5 out of their last 6 games.
Away from home, Detroit is 28-13 ATS but just 14-26-1 ATS at home.
At home, Orlando covered the UNDER 64% of the time while Detroit covered the UNDER in 63% of their away games.
The last five times these teams have played in Detroit, the OVER covered each time.
Versus Eastern Conference teams, Detroit is 8-17-1 ATS at home but 17-9 ATS away.
Detroit covered the spread 5 out of the last 6 times they played Orlando.
After a Division game, Orlando covered the UNDER 87% of the time this season. 
 
Washington Wizards @ Cleveland Cavaliers

In a home game where the TOTAL is between 190 and 194.5 points, Cleveland is 9-1 ATS this season.
Washington has covered the UNDER in their last 6 games and in 8 of their last 9 games.
The last 6 times these teams have played each other, the UNDER covered each time.
When playing on 3 or more days of rest, Washington is just 18-37 ATS since 1996.
Since 1996, Washington is 28-16 ATS versus Cleveland including 11-5 over the last 3 seasons.
In their last 7 road games, Washington is 6-1 ATS.
Versus Eastern Conference teams at home, Washington is just 6-18-2 ATS. 
 
For even more betting trends for not just the NBA but for all of the major sports, log on to Sportsbook.com and click on “Trends”.  With only two months left in the NBA betting season it is important to be as well informed as possible in order to maximize your profit.  Also for all of you poker players, check out MySportsbook.com’s “WSOP Low Bid Auction”. You could be on your way to Vegas to play against the world’s best poker players for under a buck.

About MySportsbook.com MySportsbook.com  is the largest sportsbook and casino on the planet, where millions of adult Americans bet on sports, play poker and enjoy blackjack and other casino games online in a regulated and licensed jurisdiction. Named the "Best US Sports Book" by the industry's top magazine, eGaming Review, MySportsbook.com has been leading the online gaming industry since 1996. Dwarfing its nearest competitors in the US, MySportsbook.com has been the first to achieve every significant industry milestone, from record turnover to active users to number of bets--achieving a peak of fifteen bets per second. As the US online gaming leader, the firm and it's products have been featured on CBS 60 Minutes, CNN, ESPN, Wall Street Journal, Barrons, Financial Times, USA Today and in every major newspaper in the US.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your basketball sportsbook needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.