Colorado goalie Semyon Varlamov, h
LAS VEGAS -- Its no secret things figure to be bad in Philadelphia this season for a 76ers team doing little but masquerading as an NBA franchise. Leave it to the oddsmakers in this gambling city to show just how bad things could be for a team contending for nothing but the NBAs next top draft pick. As the NBA season tips off, the over-under for total wins for the 76ers this year is 16.5, the lowest of any team and the lowest that LVH sports book oddsmaker Jeff Sherman can remember putting up on any NBA team in the last decade or so. That means optimistic Philly fans -- assuming there are any for a team with only a handful of legitimate NBA players -- can win money if they bet their team can win 17 games or more in the 82-game regular season. Conversely, those who think the 76ers are even worse than they look can cash in if the season win total is 16 or fewer. "Theyve pretty much made it known in Philadelphia theyre trying to get the No. 1 pick for Andrew Wiggins and not holding back," Sherman said. "Teams try for the draft pick sometimes late in the season, but theyre basically doing it the whole season." It gets even better for true believers. They can get astronomical odds of 9,999-1 if they want to wager at the LVH on the 76ers winning the NBA title. "It was the highest number our computers would let us put in," Sherman said. The 76ers arent alone in chasing after Wiggins, who has NBA scouts drooling even though hes just beginning his freshman season at Kansas. Things are pretty dismal in the desert, too, with the Phoenix Suns posted as the next worst NBA team with an over-under total of 19.5 wins. Perhaps most surprising, though, is that oddsmakers have such little respect for the chances of the Los Angeles Lakers and their aging and injury-prone cast of stars. They believe the Lakers will lose more than they win, with an over-under of 34.5 wins for the season. "Weve been writing a lot of over money from the public having a hard time believing the Lakers are going to be that bad," Sherman said. "We have a different view when you look at how severe Kobes injury is and the mileage of (Steve) Nash and (Pau) Gasol." Sherman, who teams with fellow oddsmaker Ed Salmons to put up the first betting lines weeks before the season opens, has defending champion Miami favoured again for most wins, though with an over-under of 60.5 he doesnt believe the Heat will approach last years win total of 66. "That was one of the easier ones and it was close to what we had last year," he said. "They won more than that last year, but that included a 27-game winning streak that we dont expect to be repeated." Miami is also favoured at 2-1 to win another NBA title, followed by Oklahoma City at 9-2, Chicago at 6-1 and San Antonio at 8-1. Felix Hernandez Jersey . 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The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists detailed in a report how Russian and international journalists have been harassed and prevented from covering sensitive stories in Sochi such as the abuse of migrant workers and environmental issues. Gordon Beckham Jersey . Leaning forward with both hands on his knees, Buffon appeared to be resting or somehow trying to withstand the rain. Or perhaps the 36-year-old goalkeeper and Italy captain was reflecting on this: He is only the third player in history to be part of five World Cup squads, along with Germany great Lothar Matthaus and former Mexico goalkeeper Antonio Carbajal. Kyle Seager Jersey . Dragic was a game-time decision because of a sore right ankle that had kept him out of Wednesdays loss at Utah, but played all but the last 10 seconds of the second half in the first 40-point game for a Phoenix player since Amare Stoudemires 44 on March 19, 2010.ST. LOUIS - Brian Elliott had to work overtime Saturday night and was up to the challenge.Elliott made 27 saves in his 100th game with St. Louis and stopped all three shootout attempts to lift the Blues over the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 for their fourth straight victory.We didnt want to win in a shootout, but we got it done, Elliott said. Its two big points and some more momentum to try and keep us going.Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice for St. Louis. Tarasenko has six goals, including five in his last three games. He had his first career hat trick in a 4-3 win over Dallas on Tuesday night.Tarasenko had dinner the night before with Colorado goalie Semyon Varlamov, his teammate on the Russian Olympic team. Although Tarasenko earned some bragging rights with his two goals, he was quick to point out that Varlamov had his moments as well.I was happy to score against him, but he made a good save on me in the shootout, Tarasenko said.Joakim Lindstrom scored in the shootout for St. Louis.Lindstrom played 16 games with Colorado in 2011-12 and was also familiar with Varlamov. He figured a quick shot was his best chance and he was able to beat Varlamov through the legs with a wrist shot.Hes such a good goalie, Lindstrom said. Hes so good laterally, I figured I wanted to have a quick shot instead of trying to deke him.Ryan OReilly and Nathan MacKinnon each had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche, who have points in six straight games (2-0-4). BBut the Avalanche were looking for more than a point.ddddddddddddI think we played a heck of a hockey game, Matt Duchene said. It (stinks) just to be coming out of it with one point. This ones going to sting.Eric Johnson had two assists for Colorado against his former team and Varlamov stopped 27 shots.St. Louis appeared to have the game under control when Tarasenko redirected Alex Pietrangelos shot past Varlamov for his second goal 46 seconds into the third period to give the Blues a 2-0 advantage.But just 6 seconds later, Magnus Paajarvi went off for holding and OReilly made the Blues pay by putting home the rebound of MacKinnons shot on the ensuing power play to cut it to 2-1 at 2:19 of the third.Ian Cole then went off for cross-checking and the Avalanche tied the game with another power-play goal at 5:13 as MacKinnon walked in front and beat Elliott with a wrist shot.In that third, we certainly felt like we had our backs against the wall, Colorados Gabriel Landeskog said. We had to go; we didnt really have the choice to sit back and wait. We had to go and we did and the power play came out big.NOTES: OReillys goal snapped a shutout streak of 118 minutes, 52 seconds by St. Louis. ... Colorado, ranked second in the NHL in penalty killing, has killed 20 straight penalties, including three on Saturday. ... St. Louis was happy to see the calendar turn to November. The Blues are 20-5-3 in November the last two seasons. Cheap Steelers Jerseys Cheap Patriots Jerseys Cheap Bills Jerseys Cheap Jets Jerseys Cheap Giants Jerseys Cheap Redskins Jerseys Cheap Bears Jerseys Cheap Eagles Jerseys Cheap Cardinals Jerseys Cheap Jaguars Jerseys Cheap Raiders Jerseys Cheap Dolphins Jerseys Cheap Panthers Jerseys Cheap Lions Jerseys Cheap Browns Jerseys ' ' '