No Westbrook No Problem for OKC Thunder

As of the writing, the Oklahoma City Thunder have a record of 43 wins and 12 losses. This record puts the team on top of the league. While having the best record is already impressive, what makes it even more amazing is that the team is winning games despite missing their best player in dynamic guard Russell Westbrook.

The driving force behind this success is forward Kevin Durant who has been playing absurdly well. The 25-year old is doing it all as he averages 31.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists so far this season. He is also making shots at high percentage as reflected by his 51% field goal percentage.

In the absence of Westbrook, backup guard Reggie Jackson has proven his capability to handle point guard duties. He is a solid  defender and also has the speed and finishing ability near the rim which makes him a tough cover for opposing guards. In a way, Jackson is what many thought Westbrook should be.

Since he entered the NBA to play alongside Durant, many criticized Westbrook for being too aggressive on offense. He looks for his own shot far too often which resulted for poor forced shots. While there are plenty of advantage to Westbrook's aggressiveness, Jackson has shown how the powerful and scary the team can be when it is able to take advantage of Durant's various abilities.

Watching the Thunder right now reminds me of the 2010-11 Dallas Mavericks. The team that went on to win the championship relied on Dirk Nowitzki for offense. Dirk was impossible to guard on 1-on-1 back then and when he was doubled-team, he was able to make the right decisions. It is very much the dame for Durant right now who puts up points and facilitates well. The only difference is that Durant today is way much better than Dirk in 2011.

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Serie A: Inter Milan Sign Hernanez

On January 31, news from the official website of Inter Milan announced the completion of the signing of Brazilian midfielder Hernanez. Prior to the signing, the 28-year old midfielder has been playing for Lazio since 2010 and has become one of the prominent stars on the team and the league.

This is a great acquisition for the club who could seriously benefit from the Brazilian midfielder's playmaking. Hernanez handles the ball pretty well and is an accurate passer and shooter from long range. His abilities just matches well with the current system Inter Milan is running.

Hernanez has been relatively quiet this season and playing a bigger role in Inter Milan's system could get him back to looking like his old and effective self.

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NBA: Dragic Keying Suns Success

Talk about surprises. The Phoenix Suns right now are in a position that nobody expected them to be in. Their formula for success is simple. They play at a breakneck pace that not many teams can match up to. They are like a sports car that when they get it going, it is very hard to stop them. As all sports car, someone needs to be driving. On the driver seat right now is Goran Dragic.

The Slovenian point guard is not perfect by any means. His half-court game still could use some polishing here and there. However, is aggressiveness is just what the team needs.

He is so good in taking the ball to the basket and finishes quite well. In transition, he is almost unstoppable as he uses his explosive speed and contorts his body while in the air to make difficult layups look much easier.

EPL: Paulinho Suffer Ankle Injury

Hotspur midfielder Paulinho  has suffered a right ankle injury that could take him out for at least 4 weeks. Here's the announcement from the club's official website:

Following a MRI scan, the Club can confirm that Paulinho has sustained significant ligament damage to his right ankle after a heavy challenge from Charlie Adam during Sunday's win against Stoke City. The Brazil international was forced off as a result of the injury and is expected to be sidelined for at least four weeks.

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Barca Secures Iniesta Until 2018

After a long-winded chronicle that involved countless rumors, the saga regarding Andres Iniesta and his future has finally ended. As reported earlier this week, the Spanish midfielder has reached a deal with Barcelona which will keep him until 2018, pretty much guaranteeing that he will be with the team until the end of his playing career.

Iniesta who came from the club's famous youth academy has been a very important piece for Barcelona during its most successful period. As a member of the Spanish national team, his goal in the 2010 World Cup helped the team seal the title.

With his old contract winding down and expiring in 2015, many wondered about the future possibilities for Iniesta. 

Due to the relative lack of reports regarding the progress of contract negotiation between Iniesta and Barcelona that started since summer, many reports started floating around that linked the 29-year old to other European teams. One of the big-named club that he was linked to was the Manchester United, a club that could really use him right now. All the rumors and conjectures have now been squashed with his decision to stay with the Barca.

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FIFA Unveils 2014 World Cup Match Ball

Soccer fans might not agree on who the best team or athlete in the sport, but every fan from all over the planet can agree that the World Cup can't get here fast enough. Every update about one of the most prestigious sporting events in the world is valuable. That being said, here's a new update from FIFA.com that will allow you to take a glimpse of the upcoming event.

The Brazuca: Official Match Ball

The brazuca, which means 'Brazilian' and refers to the Brazilian way of life, is the most-tested adidas ball in history. It was, over a two-and-a-half-year period, tried out by over 600 of the world’s top players or former players including Iker Casillas, Dani Alves, Lionel Messi, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Zinedine Zidane, and 30 teams in ten countries across three continents. The brazuca was also used at a selection of international football matches, albeit with a different design, including a friendly between Sweden and Argentina last February.

The brazuca’s colours and ribbon design of the ball panels symbolise the traditional multi-coloured wish bracelets worn in the country, in addition to reflecting the vibrancy and fun associated with football in the South American country. It has a new structural innovation, with a unique symmetry of six identical panels alongside a different surface structure will provide improved grip, touch, stability and aerodynamics on the pitch.

The brazuca will be available to purchase globally from Wednesday 4 December in selected adidas retail outlets, associated stockists and via FIFA.com’s official Store. Furthermore, any child born in Brazil on 3 December, the day of its official launch, was entitled to a free Brazuca courtesy of adidas.

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Images and text grab from FIFA.com

Premier League Must-Watch: Arsenal vs. Southampton on November 23

If you are into soccer online betting, you are in for a treat this weekend as two of the best teams in the Premier League are set to battle on Saturday. The league-leading Arsenal will face-off against the rank 3 Southampton.

Arsenal are coming off a lost against Manchester United last November 10 while Southampton hasn't lost a game for more than two months now and had a dominant win against Hull during their last match on November 9. The successful stretch by Southampton has allowed them to rise in the rankings. 

In their last six games, Arsenal has  4 wins, a loss and a draw. Southampton, on the other hand, has 4 wins and 2 draws.

The last time the two team met was more than a year ago, when Arsenal beat Southampton 6-1. There's no doubt that Southampton will be looking for a payback when the two teams meet this weekend. However, Arsenal also has a pretty good motivation to win this match after losing their last game.

If you want to place a bet on the upcoming match, you can do so by joining up one of the most trusted website for sports betting in Australia. Aside from betting, you can also stay updated to the latest news and developments regarding your favorite team or player and how these affects the chances of your bet.

After Disappointing Opening, Clippers Dominate

After a disappointing first game to the NBA season that saw them lose against their same-city rivals, the Los Angeles Clippers in their last three games has been the dominating team that many experts have envisioned them to be. They were impressive in their last three games that featured other potential contenders from the western conference.

In their first win against the Golden State Warriors, they showed a much improved defense and a smoother offense. They forced the Warriors into tough shots, they rebounded and pressured well on defense that resulted to plenty of steals and fast break points. The offense also looked quite better as there was better ball movement that created good shot opportunities for the team. It also helped that Chris Paul had a monster game.

Against the Sacramento Kings, the Clippers had a very good offensive game wherein they hit 50 percent of their field goal attempts and their three-pointers. They were in control the entire game as the Kings never really looked dangerous in the game. Every time the Kings tried to make a run, the Clippers always had an answer.

In their most recent game against the also much-talked about Houston Rockets, the Clippers were dominating in every way possible. They negated Rocket's Dwight Howard's potential impact on the floor by getting the center into foul trouble early in the game. Without Howard on the floor, the Clippers were able to attack and score against the Rockets' interior. Couple that with some good 3-point shooting and the game became a one-sided affair all throughout. 

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EPL Results: Hotspurs Win Over Villa 2-0

Tottenham Hotspurs was victorious over the weekend as they played and won against Aston Villa. And while defeating a lower rung team isn't something to call home about, it's a very much welcomed news to the team who has lost and drew in their last two matches.

A Quick Recap of the Game

The first 30 minutes of the match left much to be desired from the Spurs as they struggled to create scoring attempts despite having dominated the ball possession during that span of time. This is thanks in part to Villa's tightening of the center that was able to contain the Spurs' midfield and keeping striker Roberto Soldado isolated thus effectively stifling the attack.

However, things quickly turned around after Andros Townsend was able to luckily kick in a cross from the right that was able to go past Guzan. After the first score, the Spurs became more comfortable with their offense and became aggressive with attacking Aston Villa's defense, resulting to several good goal attempt and finally a second goal from Soldado. The win is the fifth for the Hotspurs while Aston Villa incurred their fourth loss of the season. The Hotspurs are currently ranked fifth while Aston Villa is placed at thirteenth. 

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Images from http://www.premierleague.com/

Pelicans Showing Promise in Pre-Season

With the major leagues already in play, it's no surprise why soccer online betting is king of sports betting in Australia right now. I mean, just check out the links. There are already seven leagues that soccer fans can indulge in. However, the current might have to make a way for basketball as the NBA pre-season warms up for another year filled with fast-paced court action. Although pre-season games are often considered by many as meaningless fillers for the real deal, there are actually lots of things to learn from these things.

You can gauge a skill-set of a player, the strengths and weaknesses of the team that allows you to have a more accurate forecast for the regular season. One of the teams that showing a lot of promise right now is the New Orleans Pelicans. The team that is filled with young talents has shown plenty of upsides throughout the course of the pre-season tournament. 

In their first pre-season game against the Houston Rockets, the team got good production from second-year big man Anthony Davis who was able to hit shots at high percentage, scoring 21 points in 27 minutes. Another Anthony also had it going as he scored 26 points. He shot quite well from beyond the three-point line as he hit 3 of his 6 attempts. Austin Rivers also played quite well, scoring 21 points and made key plays like the steal and fast-break layup that helped won the game for the Pelicans. The only downer in the game for Pelicans fans is Tyreke Evans turning his ankle and Jrue Holiday getting pick-pocketed a handful of times by Rockets' Patrick Beverly.

Soccer: USA Qualifies for 2014 World Cup

After defeating Mexico with a score of 2-0, the USA team only had to wait for the result of the match between Honduras and against Panama for them to find out if they qualify for the World Cup next year in Brazil. It is kind of queer how their fate was tied to a match they weren't playing in. However, the resulting draw between the other match sealed their qualification for the next World Cup.

The two goals for the US came from Eddie Johnson and Landon Donovan and the victory  will allow the team to make their 7th consecutive world cup.

Italy came from behind to defeat Czech Republic and earn a spot at next year's world Cup

The USA isn't the only recent team earning a spot for Brazil next summer. Italy was also able to qualify by defeating Czech Republic with a score of 2-1. Despite what the score might suggest, the Italians actually had a rough time in the match. The Czechs were the first to score and it wasn't after the halftime break that Italy started to roll. Giorgio Chiellini and Mario Balotelli scored the goals for Italy while Libor Kozak scored the sole goal for Czech Republic.

Netherlands win over Andorra qualifies them for 2014 World Cup

The Netherlands qualifying for the World Cup isn't exactly a surprising news. They have been performing quite well and in a great position to qualify. After defeating Andorra with a score of 2-0, they have earned their tickets for Brazil next summer with two games to spare.

Anyways, if you want more soccer news and activities such as soccer online betting, I suggest you go check out the best website for sports betting in Australia.

La Liga: Barcelona Wins Over Malaga

One of the favorites in soccer online betting to win the league title, Barcelona is opening the season hobbled in injuries. It was reported this week in sports betting Australia that Lionel Messi is out for the game due to a thigh injury, so as Isaac Cuenca who is having his own knee issue. These absences were a major concern prior to the match against Malaga.

Barca is definitely the better team compared to the rebuilding Malaga even without Messi. However, it is also true that Messi plays a pivotal role to the personnel-dependent type of pressure offense that Barca plays.

His absence in the game was felt throughout the game. Without Messi, the club played more conservatively, opting to play safe and keeping the ball instead of forcing the issue against Malaga. Still, the club was able to come out with a win on Sunday thanks to a goal by Adriano in the 44th minute of the game. After the goal, the team still had several good chances to score, but they weren't able to convert from those opportunities.

Malaga had its own injury problems. Weligton was out of the game due to a fractured collar bone and Flavio Ferreira is still suffering a back problem. It has been a tough start for Malaga as they are now 0-2. They lost against Valencia on their opening match.

Barcelona have announced that Messi only suffered a contusion on his thigh, however, the team is definitely playing safe regarding the health of their best player.

My NBA Teams to Watch for 2013-14

With the NBA season  only a little over 2 months away from starting, it's time for those who bet on sports to start planning the teams to follow and the games to watch. The NBA regular season alone will have 1230 games. You know you're going to need some extra effort in choosing the games to watch.

I, obviously, can't say what games you should watch since everyone has their own preferences in terms of entertainment. However, I do have certain teams in mind that I know I'm going to give a close look. Here are the five team's that automatically comes to my mind. These teams are pegged by a website for betting on sports as contenders for the title next season.

Houston Rockets

Toyota Center will be packed next season.

Hate him or love him, Dwight Howard is definitely bringing in plenty of attention to his new team. People will be watching how his decision to leave the LA will turn out. I, on the other hand, can't wait to see how he pairs up with talented players who are just reaching their prime. 

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers will be ready to clash with the eastern conference titans
Source: Zach Primozic (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The media might try to ignore the team yet again next regular season. However, the recent improvements they made in the roster this summer might produce too loud of a noise to ignore once they step on the court.

Brooklyn Nets

The season is going to be either white or black.

The team has acquired some prominent players. The downside is that these same players are old. Then there's the new coach with a zero coaching experience in the NBA. If this was a story, there would be too many loopholes that the team will need to patch up. I could get pretty or it could get ugly. Either way the story goes, it sure is going to be interesting.

The Search is Over: 76ers Hire Coach

With the Bundesliga just having started, soccer online betting is back on the top of sports betting Australia. It doesn't mean, however, that the exciting news are exclusive to the sport of soccer. The NBA have some worthwhile news of its own.

Kevin Burkett / CC-BY-SA-3.0

It's been a strange off-season for the Philadelphia 76ers. The team has made plenty of mind-boggling moves that somehow, points to the direction that the team is going. What direction you ask? Well, the general consensus is towards the bottom of the league. Yes, no one will say it out right but everything that has been going on for the last two months clearly indicates the team tanking the season.

The trading away of Jrue Holiday for the injured rookie Nerlens Noel was one of the more obvious evidence as to what the team, under new GM Sam Hinkie is trying to do. Also, the fact that it took them until now to find a coach pretty much seals the deal.

So who got the job?

Brett Brown. So who is this guy? Brown has worked for the Spurs since 2002 as a director of player development. In 2006 and until a few days ago, he was an assistant coach under Popovich.

Expectations

People expect a lot from coaches and officials that worked for or with Pop in San Antonio. However, just because the team now has a head coach that worked under the one of the most successful organizations in the NBA doesn't mean the team is going to suddenly change their direction.

Brown was tentative to accept the job at first as people who are close to him advised him against it due to the fact that the team is expected to have a 60-loss season.  However, the 4-year guaranteed contract that shows how the team is dedicated in making him a part of the development process was so hard to pass up.

Still, part of the development process will be drafting key players which can be better achieved by having a losing season.