Posted on 1/18/2008 4:42:07 PM

Basketball Betting - Injury watch: Bynum, Nene, Marbury

By BetUS Staff

It’s tough on any team to lose one of its most talented players for any length of time. Some teams are in a better position to handle it than others. Bench strength plays a huge role in NBA betting; the following three stars are being missed, although perhaps not as much as expected.

Andrew Bynum, L.A. Lakers

Bynum’s bruised left kneecap comes at a very interesting point in the season. The breakthrough center should be out at least eight weeks, which leaves Bynum in jeopardy of missing the start of the playoffs – should the Lakers make it that far in his absence. The injury also comes on the heels of some very positive press for Bynum and the impact he’s had on the Lakers. With 18.2 points and 14.1 rebounds per 40 minutes, Bynum’s 22.79 Player Efficiency Rating ties him with Yao Ming for No. 15 in the league.

The Lakers recently welcomed Kwame Brown back to the lineup; he scored 10 points and added 10 boards in Monday’s 123-121 overtime win in Seattle. But Brown was also a minus-5; Ronny Turiaf saved the day in relief with 14 points, three blocks and a plus-2. Chris Mihm (sore Achilles) might be a couple of weeks from returning, so Los Angeles appears to be a strong fade candidate during that window of opportunity.

Nene, Denver Nuggets

Nene was forced to leave the team and undergo surgery on Monday to remove a testicular tumor. The power forward posted on his website that the tumor was benign, although that update was taken down later in the day. There is understandably no timetable for Nene’s return. The good news is that a full recovery is expected.

The Nuggets’ frontline has rarely enjoyed having Nene, Marcus Camby and Kenyon Martin available at the same time. But that embarrassment of riches in the post has kept Denver afloat whenever one of the big men goes down. Two is another story; Martin has a staph infection and was unable to start Thursday’s game against the Jazz. The capable Linas Kleiza (18.3 points, 7.3 rebounds/40) will fill out the starting rotation and log heavy minutes until Martin can play. Eduardo Najera will come off the bench despite a hyper-extended right elbow. Keep a close eye on these Nuggets for signs of fatigue.

Stephon Marbury, New York Knicks

Is this the end for Starbury? After a number of absences from the team, the death of his father and a falling out with coach Isiah Thomas, Marbury is expected to go under the knife Tuesday to repair a bone spur in his left ankle. His regular season is almost certainly over; Marbury, however, is flatly denying retirement rumors. “I’m not stupid, I’m a businessman,” he told reporters Wednesday.

The Knicks are already a mess; perhaps taking Marbury out of the equation will be a step forward for cleaning up the wayward franchise. They’ve already won three games in a row SU and ATS without him. That glut of point guards has finally come in handy for New York. Jamal Crawford (19.3 points, 4.5 assists/40) and Nate Robinson (20.6, 3.9) are generating the offense, while Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry are showing signs of coexistence in the starting frontcourt. It might not be enough to salvage Isiah’s job, but Knicks supporters should be able to take advantage of the NBA odds while the ship remains afloat.

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