Spurs can make things worse for Suns
Phoenix, which hopes the trade for Shaquille O’Neal will bring the organization its first NBA title, had better start lowering expectations.
Given their recent play, the Suns have a better chance of missing the playoffs than they do of winning the title.
Since O’Neal made his Suns debut against the Lakers on Feb. 20, Phoenix is 3-6. Entering Saturday’s play, the Suns were only 2 1/2 games ahead of Denver, the No. 9 team in the Western Conference.
Today, Phoenix plays host to San Antonio, which had an 11-game winning streak stopped Friday night in Denver but already owns a victory in Arizona this year. San Antonio prevailed, 84-81, on Jan. 31. It was the Spurs’ third victory in their last five games -- including playoffs -- in Phoenix.
Baseball
Three of the favorites to win the six divisions on the website Vegasinsider.com were division winners a season ago.
Defending World Series champion Boston is the 4-5 choice to again win the American League East, the Angels are 2-5 to repeat in the West and the Chicago Cubs are the 11-10 favorites to take the National League Central for a second consecutive year.
Otherwise, a changing of the guard is expected. Detroit, which upgraded its roster with the acquisitions of pitcher Dontrelle Willis and third baseman Miguel Cabrera from Florida, is the 2-3 favorite in the AL Central, and the Mets, who added Johan Santana to their pitching staff, are the 2-5 choice in the NL East.
Lastly, the Dodgers, who faded near the end of the 2007 season, and new Manager Joe Torre are the 2-1 favorites to win the NL West.
College basketball
Texas can complete its most successful regular season ever with a win over visiting Oklahoma State today.
A victory for the Longhorns would be their 26th, eclipsing the record of 25 set during the 2005-06 campaign. In addition, a win over the Cowboys would clinch the Big 12 Conference regular-season championship for Texas and make it the top-seeded team in the conference tournament, which begins Thursday.
Oklahoma State (16-13) has caused problems for the top two teams in the Big 12. It knocked off visiting Kansas on Feb. 12 and gave Texas all it could handle in Stillwater on Jan. 21 before losing, 63-61.
However, Oklahoma State has struggled in Texas. The Cowboys have lost 11 of their last 13 games in Austin.
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