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NBA championship betting players took time away from their playoff odds for a minute to check out the draft lottery on Tuesday night, as the NBA’s worst teams were looking for a little luck to change their fate.  Washington ended up getting the right bounces, and they kick off our mock draft of the top five picks.

Washington – John Wall, Kentucky

They may need Turner more, but there’s no way the Wizards will pass on Wall, the point guard who blazed through the SEC in his only year in Lexington.  With Wall in town, they could very well buy out Gilbert Arenas’ ridiculous contract and let him go, because we don’t think Arenas and Rose could work in the same backcourt….just ask Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry over in Golden State.

Philadelphia – Evan Turner, Ohio State

If you’re doing Blackhawks Sharks betting, Turner can be compared to Jonathan Toews, a player who can do everything with room to grow.  Toews turned into a captain within two years, and the 76ers will hope that Turner can do the same with his vast skill-set.  His passing and ball-handling abilities will allow Andre Igoudala to play off the ball more often.

New Jersey – DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky

The Nets were the big losers in the lottery as they had the most balls in the draw, so instead of Wall, they’ll take his teammate, Cousins, a battering ram of a power forward who will form an excellent inside duo with Brook Lopez, the best young big man in the league.  Cousins has great footwork and post moves for his age and size, but he’s been known to have problems with his temper.  Cousins is an emotional player, but he’s going to have to learn to harness it in the NBA.

Minnesota – Wes Johnson, Syracuse

The Orangemen’s football team will never be a major NCAA football betting option, but they do know hoops at Syracuse, and they showed a lot of faith in Johnson’s potential after he transferred from Iowa State.  Johnson rewarded them by being named Big East Player of the Year.  The Timberwolves already have power forwards and point guards, and Johnson’s shooting stroke will be much appreciated at the No.3 spot.  He can play power forward in a pinch, but he’ll probably be overmatched physically.

Sacramento – Derrick Favors, Georgia Tech

The Kings need an interior presence badly, and they’ll take Favors, unless he’s gone and Cousins is available.  Favors never really got a proper chance to show what he could do as the Yellow Jackets had terrible guards, but he is an athletic freak with good technique in the post already, and his length is a major factor on defense.  The Kings’ online betting odds won’t jump too much, but Favors is a step in the right direction.

Any World Cup betting option that gets a performance from their star like the Los Angeles Lakers got from Kobe Bryant in the opening game of their Western Conference final, and they can prepare themselves for a title celebration as the Lakers’ star shredded Phoenix on Monday night.  The series resumes on Wednesday night, and the Suns have to find a way to contain Bryant.

Suns Lakers Betting – Wednesday, May 19, 9:00 PM ET

Bryant hit 13 of his 23 field-goal attempts en route to 40 points in a 128-107 win over the Suns, and he added five rebounds and five assists as well.  Pau Gasol was 10-of-13 from the field for 21 points, while Lamar Odom added 19 points and 19 boards for the Lakers, who shot an outlandish 58% from the field.  The Lakers also used their length to outrebound the Suns 42-34, and they took excellent care of the ball with only nine turnovers.  Sure, the Lakers gave up 107 points, but that comes with the territory when you play the Suns.  The Lakers kept the Suns from getting to their spots on the floor, and they were especially good in preventing Phoenix from getting out in the open floor.

The Suns were led by 23 points from Amare Stoudamire, but he had just three rebounds on the night.  Jason Richardson had 15 points, while Steve Nash added 13 points and 13 boards for the Suns, who missed 17 of their 22 attempts from beyond the arc.  The Suns tried to be aggressive, getting to the foul line 10 more times than the Lakers, and this kept it from being a total rout, but Phoenix looked overmatched in this contest.

The Lakers should be favored by NBA betting odds in this contest, as they have now won five in a row at the Staples Center over the Suns, and seven of the last 10 home games overall.  The Suns got Robin Lopez back, but he alone can’t stop the Lakers from getting into the post.  Gasol and Odom were able to do whatever they wanted in the interior, which created space for Bryant on the perimeter, and it just so happened that Bryant was feeling it from the outside on Monday night.  The Suns are going to have to ratchet up their intensity on the defensive end of the floor, or else this is going to be a short, short series.  The Lakers didn’t even need to get Andrew Bynum going, and that’s a sign of the Lakers’ superiority in this series.  It’s not looking good for the Suns to even go home tied at one game each.
Sports betting pick: Los Angeles Lakers

Those who are betting Preakness Stakes this weekend are well aware of the importance of having a good thoroughbred, and the teams in the Western Conference finals are led by a pair of horses that you would even say are MVP or Hall-of-Fame caliber.

Phoenix Suns @ Los Angeles Lakers – Game 1 on Monday, May 17, 9:00 PM ET

The Suns finally got rid of their playoff nemesis, taking care of San Antonio in a hard-fought sweep that was personified by Steve Nash, who averaged 22.0 points and 7.8 assists against the Spurs, and played the fourth quarter of their Game 4 clinching win with a swollen eye due to a Tim Duncan elbow.  They even played a little bit of defense in the series, holding the Spurs to 100.2 points, more than five points below their regular-season average of 105.3 points.  Amare Stoudamire led the way against the Lakers in four games this year, averaging 20.3 points and 8.8 boards, while the Suns are going to need Nash to look for his own shot more with 13.8 points and 9.0 assists against the Lakers this season.  Those who bet on NBA playoffs will feel more confident if Nash comes out aggressive like he did against the Spurs.  The Suns may also get Robin Lopez back from an ailing back, which will help against the Lakers’ post players.

The Lakers are coming off their own sweep of Utah, but like the Spurs pushed the Suns, the Jazz didn’t roll over for the defending NBA champions.  Kobe Bryant bounced back from a rough opening series against Oklahoma City in which he looked like he was in pain the entire time, to blast the Jazz for 32.0 points per game, shooting 52.3% from the field and looking like the guy who led the Lakers to the promised land last year.  Bryant averaged 27.5 points against the Suns this season, while Andrew Bynum was next with 17.8 points and 9.8 boards, and he’ll be essential to the Lakers after a poor series against the Jazz.

The Lakers are favored at -325 to win this series if you’re going to bet NBA, and they’ll have revenge on their minds, like the Suns had with the Spurs in the last round.  The Suns eliminated the Lakers in the first round in both the 2006 and 2007 playoffs, and you can bet that Bryant has that in the back of his mind.  The Lakers are going to have an immense advantage in the post, and they should look to get Stoudamire in foul trouble.  Lopez isn’t up to game shape just yet, which means Bynum, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom should be able to get inside at will.  We’re taking the Lakers in six games in our betting picks.

Inter Milan Bayern Munich betting features a pair of teams that aren’t that familiar with each other, but in the NBA’s Western Conference, the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns are very familiar with each other, both in the regular season and the playoffs.  The two will meet once again, this time in the conference finals, which tips off next Monday night in Los Angeles at the Staples Center.

The Suns swept San Antonio, a team that had taken the Suns out of the playoffs on four separate occasions in the past.  Steve Nash was the ringleader, averaging 22.0 points and 7.8 assists, and his performance in the clinching game is the stuff stories are made of.  Nash caught an errant elbow from Tim Duncan which essentially shut his right eye, then he scored 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter of a 107-101 win in San Antonio.  You could see that there was no way that Nash was going to let this team lose to the Spurs again, and it showed a toughness than many thought the Suns were lacking.

The Lakers also swept their opponent in the last series when they got rid of Utah in four games, and Kobe Bryant shook off his numerous injuries to average 32.5 points against the Jazz, which was 8.5 points more than he averaged against Oklahoma City in the first round.  Bryant also shot 52.3% from the field, up from 40.8% against the Jazz, and if he’s on, it keeps the opposition from doubling in the post.  NBA championship odds have had the Lakers near the top of the list all season, but some were counting out Bryant and his team after the Oklahoma City series.  They showed why they’re champions against the Jazz.

Basketball betting odds have the Lakers as a -300 favorite in this series, but it was the Suns who eliminated the Lakers in a pair of first-round matchups in 2006 and 2007.  The Lakers won three of four against the Suns this season, and they’ll have a big advantage at home where they have beaten the Suns in seven of their last 10 meetings.  On the other hand, the Lakers have won four of their last six in Phoenix.  The Suns will have to find a way to deal with Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol in the post, as Phoenix isn’t known as a very physical team defensively, although they have improved.  The Lakers have had some problems with point guards so far, and now they’re dealing with a two-time MVP, but Nash averaged just 13.8 points and 9.0 assists against the Lakers this year.  We’re also going with the Lakers on the bench, as Phil Jackson’s ten rings earns him the edge over Alvin Gentry.

Sports betting pick: Lakers -300

Preakness betting players know that without your main thoroughbred, you’re in trouble.  Cleveland is in that position as LeBron James is less than 100% with his elbow injury, but that’s still no excuse for the way they were blown out at home in Game 2.  Now, the Celtics have the upper hand as the series heads to Boston for Game 3 on Friday.

Celtics Cavaliers Betting – Friday, May 7, 7:00 PM ET

The Celtics showed they weren’t impressed by James’ MVP award as they watched the trophy presentation, and then went out and laid a 104-86 whipping on the Cavaliers.  The Celtics shot 51.3% from the field, including 9-of-19 from the three-point line, and they had 30 assist on their 40 field goals.  Ray Allen led six Celtics in double figures with 22 points, while Kevin Garnett had 18 points and 10 assists for Boston, who even got 17 points off the bench from Rasheed Wallace in what was probably his best game as a Celtic.  Rajon Rondo tied the franchise playoff record for assists with 19 dimes, to go with 13 points.

The Cavaliers, normally a force in the third quarter at home, were outscored 31-12 by the Celtics, and that was pretty much it for Cleveland, who shot 40% from the floor and were outrebounded 43-32.  James le the way with 24 points, going 10-of-15 from the foul line, where the Cavaliers shot 26-of-38 as a team.  Antawn Jamison had 16 points and six boards, but Mo Williams was terrible, going 1-of-9 from the field for a total of six points on the night, although he did chip in with seven assists.  The Cavaliers shot 4-of-21 from beyond the arc, and once they got down, it turned into “isolate James” time, which led to only 17 assists for the game.

The Cavaliers are favored by one point according to NBA betting odds, but they haven’t fared too well against the Celtics on the road, losing nine of their last 10 in Boston.  James’ elbow may be bothering him, but that wasn’t the problem in Game 2, it was the performance of the supporting cast, who looked like they were dazed after the MVP presentation, and again after halftime.  Jamison held up his end of the bargain, but Williams is going to have to play much better than he did in Game 2.  The Cavaliers can take some confidence from a 108-88 rout of the Celtics in Boston on February 25^th, but the Celtics were without Paul Pierce in that game, and they got a great showing from Williams.  This game will be a test of mental strength, and we’re not sure if the Cavaliers are there yet.

Sports betting pick: Boston +1

NBA playoff betting players should have renewed faith in Phoenix during this postseason, as this edition of the run-and-gun Suns is far improved from years past, and San Antonio got their first taste of the Suns on Monday.  Game 2 goes on Wednesday night.

Spurs Suns Betting – Wednesday, May 5, 9:00 PM ET

Steve Nash scored 21 of his 33 points in the first half of a 112-101 win over the Spurs, and he added 10 assists as the Suns shot 51.9% from the floor.   Jason Richardson was next with 27 points, while Amare Stoudamire notched 23 points and 13 rebounds.  Nash was bothered by a hip problem in the first-round series against Portland, but he looked completely healthy against the Spurs as he was +18 on the night and he did an excellent job of dictating the pace of the game.  The Suns did turn the ball over 16 times, but they also outrebounded the Spurs 44-38.

The San Antonio “Big Three” of Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker and Tim Duncan led the way with 27, 26, and 20 points respectively, but the rest of the team combined for 29 points.  If it wasn’t for Parker coming off the bench, their second-unit would have been awful.  The Spurs shot 45.8% from the field, but only 4-of-19 from the three-point line.  If the Spurs are going to win this series, they’re going to have to impose their will on the Suns physically, on the boards and on defense because they have a significant mental advantage, given their elimination of the Suns in four straight playoff series.

The Suns are favored by NBA odds by 2.5 points, and they’ve now beaten the Spurs in three straight games at home in Phoenix, although overall, the two have split their last 10 meetings at US Airways Arena.  The Suns got out to a fast start and didn’t look bad, powered by Nash, who must be sick of losing to the Spurs in the playoffs at this point.  The Spurs may have to go to Parker off the bench over George Hill, who was torched by Nash.  Parker is a much better fit against Nash, as he can offset Nash’s offense by attacking himself.  The Spurs also have to find a way to slow down Richardson, and if he does well, the Suns usually win: with Monday’s game, the Suns have now won 11 in a row when Richardson goes for 20 or more points.  But ultimately, the Spurs are going to have to choke off Nash if they want to beat the Suns, and Nash looked about 10 years younger on Monday.  We’re taking the Suns in our online betting picks on Wednesday.

In Kentucky Derby odds, the early favorite, Eskendereya, was knocked out with a leg injury.  In the NBA playoffs, the West favorite, Los Angeles, looked hurt over the first four games of the series, especially on the road, but they showed why they’re the defending NBA champions in Game 5.  Look for them to put up an inspired effort in Oklahoma City on Friday night.

Lakers vs Thunder odds – Friday, April 30, 9:30 PM ET

Pau Gasol had 25 points and 11 boards to pace the Lakers’ attack in a 111-87 rout, while Andrew Bynum added 21 points and 11 rebounds, but Kobe Bryant’s defensive performance may have been the key to this game.  The Lakers were getting destroyed by Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook, who was having his way with Derek Fisher, but Bryant asked to switch onto the quick point guard and harassed Westbrook into eight turnovers.  Bryant also added 13 points, making four of his nine attempts, but with Bynum and Gasol dominating inside, all he really had to do was focus on shutting down Westbrook, to great results.  The Lakers also had 27 assists on 42 field goals.

The Thunder showed their inexperience by failing to deal with the Bryant switch on Westbrook, who had 15 points and six assists, but he shot 4-of-13 from the floor, and of course he had the eight turnovers, half of 16 by the Thunder.  Kevin Durant also struggled in the face of tough defense from Ron Artest, scoring 17 points on 5-of-14 shooting.  The Thunder shot 36.9% from the floor, and a lot of their offense comes from Westbrook’s ability to get into the lane and either finish or dish the ball off.  With Bryant cutting Westbrook off, the Thunder didn’t make any adjustments, and you know what they worked on Wednesday and Thursday in practice.

Basketball betting odds may favor the Thunder at home, where they beat the Lakers in both games of this series so far, but it won’t be by much, if at all.  The performances in Oklahoma City really seemed to wake the Lakers up, and they’ll need the big men, Gasol and Bynum, to play like they did in Game 5.  The Thunder can’t match up with the Lakers in the post, and it would slow the game down for the Lakers, while keeping the Thunder from getting easy baskets to get the crowd into the game.  But the biggest factor will be the ability of Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks, who just won Coach of the Year honors, to free up Westbrook from the clutches of Bryant.  Can he out-fox 10-time NBA champion Phil Jackson on the other bench?  We’re thinking no.  It’s been a phenomenal season for the Thunder, but you have to take the Lakers in your online sports betting book.

If you’re looking to bet on the Kentucky Derby, you’re aware that Calvin Borel has jockeyed two of the last three horses to victory at his home track, Churchill Downs.  There’s another matchup going down in the NBA where homecourt is crucial as the home team has won all four games in the Atlanta-Milwaukee series.  The series switches back to Atlanta on Wednesday night.

Bucks vs Hawks odds – Wednesday, April 28, 8:00 PM ET

The Bucks shot a startling 55.1% from the floor in a 111-104 win over the Hawks to tie the series up at two games apiece, and Brandon Jennings was one of three Bucks over 20 points with 23, while John Salmons and Carlos Delfino had 22 apiece. This was easily Delfino’s best game of the series, as he had just 20 points in the first three games of the series, and if he is on, it opens the floor up for Jennings and Salmons. The Bucks also held a distinct advantage at the foul line, going 28-of-32.

The Hawks were 18-of-21 from the line, and on most nights, if you shoot 47.5% on the road, you’ll win the game, but Atlanta’s defense couldn’t stop the Bucks.  Joe Johnson dropped a game-high 29 points to go with nine assists as the Hawks hit 10 of their 19 three-point attempts, and they outrebounded the Bucks 12-8 on the offensive glass.  But again, all of that will mean nothing if you can’t slow down the other team, and Atlanta had no answer for the Bucks at that end of the floor.

NBA odds should favor the Hawks at home after winning the first two games of the series at Philips Arena rather handily, and the Bucks have now dropped eight in a row in Atlanta.  It’s no surprise that the Hawks are much better at home than on the road, and they have to shut down whoever will step up to be the Bucks’ third option, most likely Delfino.  The Hawks can get away with letting Jennings and Salmons have their shots, but they have to shut down the rest of the team like they did in the first two games.  The odds are very good that the Bucks aren’t going to shoot 55% from the floor on the road, which means they’ll have to shore up on the defensive end, but at home, the Hawks seem to have an energy that they definitely don’t have on the road.  Look for an improved performance from Al Horford, who had 35 points in the first two games in Atlanta, but only 18 on the road, and with no Andrew Bogut in the post, he should have his way with the Bucks.

Sports betting pick: Atlanta

The Heat vs. Celtics odds which might have existed at the beginning of this series are now stacked in favor of one team and one team only. A lot of NBA betting aficionados had good reason to think that Miami and Boston would wage war for at least six games if not seven, but now there’s a fair chance that this series could end in five. The Celtics have taken a commanding 2-0 lead in this best-of-seven affair, and with the scene shifting to the American Airlines Arena in South Florida, everyone’s wondering if the home team can… well… handle the Heat. It’s clear that Boston can, after all.

Eastern Conference First Round: Boston @ Miami, Game 3

Friday, April 23

Bookmaker Odds: No line (as of yet)

If sports betting experts are talking about this series between the fourth-seeded Celtics and the fifth-seeded Heat, they can’t be saying anything good about Miami’s chances to advance to the second round. It’s become very obvious at this point that the Heat are a one-man gang, with Dwyane Wade being the only man who can command any respect and attention from the Celtics. No one else on the Miami roster has struck fear into the hearts of the C’s, who are still a pale imitation of their former selves but appear headed for a date with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Miami had a great chance to steal Game 1 in Boston. The Heat lead by 14 points midway through the third quarter, and a Celtics team that lost seven of its last 10 regular-season contests was continuing to play as though it had been stuck in molasses. Suddenly and surprisingly, however, Boston was able to mount a massive rally behind a defense that suddenly flashed championship-level form. The Heat were held to 10 points in the fourth quarter, and even though Kevin Garnett excused himself from Game 2 by throwing an elbow at Miami’s Quentin Richardson, Boston regained some of its long-missing swagger.

Despite Boston’s resurgence, the NBA playoff odds suggested a close game, if nothing else, in Game 2 of this series on Tuesday night. A Garnett-free Boston lineup was playing on its home court, but Miami’s biggest troubles exist in the paint, not on the perimeter. Therefore, Garnett’s absence figured to benefit the Heat.

Instead, Miami performed a face-plant, an embarrassing and lifeless display in which Boston uncorked separate scoring runs of 21 and 18 points. That’s right, Boston unleashed a 21-0 run in the first half and an 18-0 burst in the second to demolish the Heat by a 106-77 score. It’s ludicrous to think that Miami can win four out of the next five games.

With that having been established, though, the question for Game 3 is this: Will the Heat continue to fold the tent, paving the way for a possible Celtic sweep? The verdict here is that while Boston is a lock to win the series, it’s not going to be a four-game stroll. Game 3 figures to be the one occasion when Miami – having been humiliated on Tuesday – will play with passion. The Heat’s role players should fare much better at home. Take Boston in five games now; there shouldn’t be a seven-game drama in this first-round series. A five-game series does mean, though, that Miami will grab one contest. Game 3 will be the Heat’s last victory of the season.

Online basketball betting pick: Miami