The Rookies will try and break a five game losing streak to the Sophomores on Friday night in the 2008 NBA Rookie Challenge in New Orleans. Seattle’s Kevin Durant leads the Rookies while Portland’s Brandon Roy leads the Sophomores. The Rookie Challenge will be televised on TNT beginning at 9 pm Eastern on Friday night. SBG Global reports that early NBA betting has the public taking Sophomores at Home.
NBA Betting Preview
Rookies vs. Sophomores
Friday, 9:00 pm Eastern – TNT
SBG Global Opening Line: Sophomores -11.5, Total 244.5
Joining Roy on the Sophomore roster is teammate LaMarcus Aldridge, Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Daniel Gibson, Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar, Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay, Toronto Raptors forward Andrea Bargnani and Utah’s Ronnie Brewer and Paul Millsap.
SBG Global Current Line: Sophomores -12, Total 244.5
The Rookie team in addition to Durant has Seattle’s Jeff Green, Atlanta’s Al Horford, Houston Rockets forward Luis Scola, Memphis’ Mike Conley and Juan Carlos Navarro, Milwaukee’s Yi Jianlian, New Jersey’s Sean Williams and Toronto’s Jamario Moon.
In last year’s Rookie Challenge New York Knicks forward David Lee won MVP honors as he scored 30 points to lead the Sophomores to a 155-114 rout. It was the fifth straight win for the Sophomores in the Rookie Challenge. Golden State guard Monta Ellis added 28 points for the Sophomore team.
The Rookie Challenge began its current format of Rookies versus Sophomores in 2000 and the Sophomores have won 6 of the 8 games. The game will be played in two 20-minute halves. The Rookie Challenge is part of the NBA All-Star weekend with the All-Star game being played on Sunday, February 17th beginning at 8 pm Eastern and televised on TNT.
Betting stats for the Rookie Challenge show that the Sophomores have dominated recently winning the last five games. Here are the NBA betting scores since the format went to Rookies vs. Sophomores in 2000.
2000 – Rookies 92, Sophomores 81 (OT)
2001 – Sophomores 121, Rookies 113
2002 – Rookies 103, Sophomores 97
2003 – Sophomores 132, Rookies 112
2004 – Sophomores 142, Rookies 118
2005 – Sophomores 133, Rookies 106
2006 – Sophomores 106, Rookies 96
2007 – Sophomores 155, Rookies 114
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