Brooks sinks winning shot as Rockets stop Nuggets

Basketball Betting Lines

03/15/2010 - Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Aaron Brooks scored 31 points and drained the game-winning jumper with 2.9 seconds left to lift the Houston Rockets over the Denver Nuggets, 125-123 at the Toyota Center.

Kevin Martin added 29 points and Luis Scola chipped in 23 to go with 11 rebounds for the Rockets, who have won three straight to tie a season-high.

Carmelo Anthony led all scorers with 45 along with 10 rebounds for the Nuggets, who lost for the first time in seven games. Chauncey Billups and J.R. Smith each netted 17 as the Nuggets led for most of the contest, but couldn't hold on late.

Nene aided Denver with 15 points and 10 boards, while Johan Petro scored 11 to go with 10 rebounds in defeat.

Brooks netted the game-winner after Anthony tied the game at 123 on an easy layup with 20.8 seconds left. Anthony had a decent look at a three as time expired, but came up short of the rim.

The Nuggets mounted a 9-0 run to start the fourth quarter, capped by an Anthony jumper with just over 10 minutes left in the game. Houston hung tough and finally took the lead with under a minute left as Scola went down the lane unguarded and converted on a three-point play to give the Rockets a 122-121 edge with 41.1 seconds left. Brooks then went 1-of-2 from the foul line to set up the finish.

Houston jumped out to a 13-6 edge after a Martin jumper with 8:44 remaining in the first. The Rockets upped the lead to double digits on a Brooks bank shot with just over four minutes left.

Arron Afflalo trimmed the deficit to seven on a layup with under a minute to go, but Kyle Lowery drained two free throws to give Houston the 38-29 lead after one period.

In the second, Denver whittled the lead down to 44-38, but the Rockets continued to drive and score, upping the edge to 16 on a Lowry bucket with just under six minutes left in the half. Anthony drained a jumper as the first half expired, but Houston still possessed a 68-57 advantage.

Denver pulled within 77-75 on two Nene foul shots with 6:34 left in the third and finally tied the contest on a Billups layup two minutes later. The Nuggets took their first lead of the night at 86-85 on an Anthony three with just over four minutes remaining in the third.

The Nuggets led by as many as three in the frame and finished the quarter with a 95-93 edge.

Game Notes

Brooks finished the game with nine assists and has made a three in 38 straight games...Anthony was 3-of-5 from three-point range after having made just 1-of-12 over his last five games...Anthony is now ninth on the all-time games played list in Denver with 499...Nuggets coach George Carl missed his fourth straight game due to undergoing treatment for throat and neck cancer...Houston next plays on Wednesday at home against Memphis...Denver next plays on Tuesday at home against Washington.

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Football Betting Lines

The 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds have been released and Denver Broncos' running back Knowshon Moreno has been made the opening favorite.

Bet NFL Sports Lines

Moreno was selected in the first round of April's NFL draft and is expected to carry the rushing load for the Broncos this season. And with Jay Cutler now in Chicago, Moreno might be expected to be Denver's entire offense.

Betting Lines from sports betting lines have made Moreno a 5/2 favorite to win this year's Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Fellow running back Chris “Beanie” Wells (Arizona Cardinals) is right behind Moreno at 7/2, while Donald Brown (Indianapolis Colts) and receiver Michael Crabtree (San Francisco 49ers) are 5/1 to win. Quarterbacks Mark Sanchez (New York Jets) and Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions) are 7/1 and 8/1, respectively.

A couple of players who present some value are Josh Freeman, Shonn Green and Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Freeman needs to beat out Byron Leftwich to become the starting quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but if he does, he has a lot or raw talent and could use the weapons around him (i.e. Kellen Winslow Jr. and Antonio Bryant) to be very successful in his first season.

Green enters a crowded backfield in New York, but considering both Thomas Jones and Leon Washington are unhappy about their contract situations and might holdout, the former Iowa product could become the Jets' primary back.

Everyone was shocked when Al Davis took Heyward-Bey with the eighth overall pick in April's draft, but the kid has a tremendous amount of talent and if quarterback JaMarcus Russell takes the next step this year, the former Maryland product could blossom. Plus, Heyward-Bey will be looking to prove the people wrong who said Oakland should have taken Michael Crabtree with the No. 8 pick.

And if you're looking for a deep sleeper, check out Pat White at 30/1. He enters the Miami Dolphins vaunted “Wild Cat” offense and could be a big time playmaker.

For complete odds on the 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds, see below.

2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Odds to Win

Ramses Barden (NYG) 40/1

Andre Brown (NYG) 20/1

Donald Brown (IND) 5/1

Kenny Britt (TEN) 20/1

Glenn Coffee (SFO) 30/1

Chase Coffman (CIN) 50/1

Michael Crabtree (SFO) 5/1

Josh Freeman (TB) 14/1

Shonn Green (NYJ) 14/1

Percy Harvin (MIN) 10/1

Darrius Heyward-Bay (OAK) 18/1

Juaquan Iglesias (CHI) 30/1

Cornelius Ingram (PHI) 50/1

Rashad Jennings (JAC) 30/1

Johnny Knox (CHI) 40/1

Jeremy Maclin (PHI) 18/1

Mohamed Massaquoi (CLE) 30/1

LeSean McCoy (PHI) 12/1

Knowshon Moreno (DEN) 5/2

Hakeem Nicks (NYG) 18/1

Brandon Pettigrew (DET) 30/1

Brian Robiskie (CLE) 20/1

Mark Sanchez (NYJ) 7/1

Matthew Stafford (DET) 8/1

Jason Smith (STL) 40/1

Mike Thomas (JAC) 25/1

Patrick Turner (MIA) 50/1

Mike Wallace (PIT) 50/1

Chris Wells (ARI) 7/2

Pat White (MIA) 30/1

Field (Any Other Player) 9/1

Betting Line

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