World Mourns Loss of Dikembe Mutombo: Dead From Brain Cancer

• NBA great Dikembe Mutombo dies from brain cancer.
• Big underlay observed on Monday night's Titans-Dolphins game.
• MLB series odds for post season now up.

NBA

World Mourns Loss of Dikembe Mutombo: Dead From Brain Cancer

(Associated Press) - Dikembe Mutombo, a Basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game, died Monday from brain cancer, the league announced. He was 58.

His family revealed two years ago that he was undergoing treatment in Atlanta for a brain tumor. The NBA said he died surrounded by his family.

“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.”

Mutombo was distinctive in so many ways — the playful finger wag at opponents after blocking their shots, his height, his deep and gravelly voice, his massive smile. Players of this generation were always drawn to him and Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid, who was born in Cameroon, looked to Mutombo as an inspiration.
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“It’s a sad day, especially for us Africans, and really the whole world,” Embiid said Monday. “Other than what he’s accomplished on the basketball court, I think he was even better off the court. He’s one of the guys that I look up to, as far as having an impact, not just on the court, but off the court. He’s done a lot of great things. He did a lot of great things for a lot of people. He was a role model of mine. It is a sad day.”

Mutombo spent 18 seasons in the NBA, playing for Denver, Atlanta, Houston, Philadelphia, New York and the then-New Jersey Nets. The 7-foot-2 center out of Georgetown was an eight-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection and went into the Hall of Fame in 2015 after averaging 9.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game for his career.

“It’s really hard to believe,” Toronto President Masai Ujiri said Monday, pausing several times because he was overcome with emotion shortly after hearing the news of Mutombo’s death. “It’s hard for us to be without that guy. You have no idea what Dikembe Mutombo meant to me. ... That guy, he made us who we are. That guy is a giant, an incredible person.”
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Mutombo last played during the 2008-09 season, devoting his time after retirement to charitable and humanitarian causes. He spoke nine languages and founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997, concentrating on improving health, education and quality of life for the people in the Congo.

Mutombo served on the boards of many organizations, including Special Olympics International, the CDC Foundation and the National Board for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

“There was nobody more qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA’s first Global Ambassador,” Silver said. “He was a humanitarian at his core. He loved what the game of basketball could do to make a positive impact on communities, especially in his native Democratic Republic of the Congo and across the continent of Africa.”

Mutombo is one of three players to win the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year four times. The others: reigning DPOY winner Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Hall of Famer Ben Wallace.
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Philadelphia 76ers president Daryl Morey — who was with Mutombo for many seasons in Houston — was informed of his friend’s death during the team’s media day on Monday. Tears welled in Morey’s eyes as he processed the news.

“There aren’t many guys like him,” Morey said. “Just a great human being. When I was a rookie GM in this league, my first chance in Houston, he was someone I went to all the time. ... His accomplishments on the court, we don’t need to talk about too much. Just an amazing human being, what he did off the court for Africa. Rest in peace, Dikembe.”

- Tim Reynolds, Associated Press (AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston in Camden, New Jersey, and Associated Press writer Ian Harrison in Toronto contributed to this report).

NFL

Big Underlay in Titans-Dolphins Game

With Tua Tagovailoa out due to a concussion, Tyler Huntley will start at quarterback for the Miami Dolphins on Monday against the Tennessee Titans, coach Mike McDaniel announced Saturday.

The line opened Miami -1 and had moved to -2.5.  Sagarin has not yet taken into account the Tagovailoa injury.  Assuming a healthy Dolphins squad, they have the number at 7.28, indicating a pretty hefty underlay and our model indicates this bodes well for the favorite.

Key matchup

Titans run game vs. Dolphins run defense. Miami defensive tackle Calais Campbell said the team's rushing defense so far this season “is not our standard" after the Dolphins gave up 112 rushing yards per game and 4.5 yards per carry in the first three weeks. Miami has also been burned for huge plays on the ground. Buffalo's James Cook had a 49-yard touchdown run against the Dolphins in Week 2. Travis Etienne had a 26-yard carry against them in Week 1. Campbell said the Titans could be the best rushing team they've faced so far because of Will Levis' scrambling ability and the production of Tony Pollard, who has 158 yards on 39 carries. The Titans also are looking to get backup Tyjae Spears more involved. Spears had 118 yards from scrimmage with his pass-catching skills out of the backfield in Miami last December.

MLB

Braves-Mets Showdown; AL Wild Card; World Series 2024

The American League Wild Card Round is set, and we'll have to wait until Monday night's Braves-Mets doubleheader to see how the NL shakes out.

No surprise in the AL odds really, as both the Orioles and Astros are favored.

BetOnline.ag released series lines and updated futures odds Sunday night, which you can find below.

Additionally, here are the odds for the first game of tomorrow's doubleheader. Spencer Schwellenbach will be on the bump for the Braves while Tylor Megill is penciled in for the Mets.

College Football

Weekly Review From Behind the Desk With BetAmaposa - 2024 Week 5 College Football Edition

It was no secret that the biggest bet game of the week would be Alabma vs UGA. Luckily for the bookmakers, the line stayed pretty stable all week and was not bouncing around much. We were able to sit there on our UGA -1 line and bets came in equally on both sides. We ended up being even to the game and since the game was such high volume we made a good amount of cash in juice. This is the dream for the bookmaker, but does not always work out so well. What a game that was!!!!