Will Kobe score 50 to give Lakers a win in Game 4?

I guess the Lakers need Kobe to score at least 45 points to beat Phoenix.

Well, if that is the case, then I guess Tinseltown's win in Game 3 was indeed a fluke. The Lakers are lucky if Kobe Bryant can at least still see open looks at the basket in Game 4.

Don't get me wrong, I'm rooting for them Lakers. What I'm trying to stress here is the fact that the Los Angeles Lakers can't win THIS WAY, especially when you're playing a team like Phoenix. Heck, even more if it's a NBA playoff game.

After a horrendous start, the Lakers, behind Kobe Bryant's 45 points, rallied to beat the Phoenix Suns 95-89 Thursday night at Staples Center and regain solid footing in their opening-round playoff series.

A loss would have put the Lakers in a 3-0 hole in the best-of-seven series, a deficit from which no team has ever come back. Well, Kobe made sure that it won't happen on that night. He just refused to lose this game, hell, he did score 45 after all.

But you see, the Lakers can't just let Kobe do the scoring for them. As balanced as the Detroit Pistons are during the last couple of days, the Lakers have become polar opposites. One man can be stopped easier than five guys scoring a night. If the Phoenix Suns begin to clamp down on Kobe in Game 4, I guess there goes the season for Los Angeles eh?

Of course, knowing Phil Jackson's competitive drive, the Lakers head coach definitely can't have that.

This guy has one of the most intricate offensive sets there is in basketball and unfortunately, the Lakers STILL can't seem to know how to take advantage of it. One way or another, the Lakers NEED solid second, third, fourth scorers in Game 4. Otherwise, they will be looking at a 3-1 deficit with the series heading back to the desert.

Can the Los Angeles Lakers even the series against the Phoenix Suns at 2-2 in Game 4? Who will win the 2007 NBA Championship? Here are some odds from Bodog:

Chicago Bulls 7/1

Detroit Pistons 9/1

Dallas Mavericks 7/2

Miami Heat 4/1 (boo!)

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for more NBA basketball odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

2007 NBA Playoffs Los Angeles Lakers

Beasts of the East begin 2007 NBA Playoffs war

The NBA Eastern Conference is considered the weaker side of NBA basketball.

Yes, the East don't have the Dirk Nowitzkis, the Kobe Bryants or the Yao Mings of the league but what the East has over the West is heart and it showed with the East becoming home of two NBA champions during the last three years.

Now, it's that time of the year when we find out who will represent the NBA Eastern Conference in the 2007 NBA Finals.

The East may be the weaker conference, but it doesn't necessarily mean that the Eastern Conference playoffs won't be as competitive compared to the Western side of basketball.

As expected, the Detroit Pistons once again secured the No.1 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Cleveland Cavaliers will have the No.2 spot while the Toronto Raptors secured No.3.

The Miami Heat weaseled their way to No.4 despite missing Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade for most of the year.

They will be in a tough first round battle with the young No.5 seeded Chicago Bulls facing them starting April 21.

The New Jersey Nets were able to overtake the Washington Wizards to take No.6.

Washington, missing Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler probably for the rest of the playoffs, dropped to No.7 while the Orlando Magic, after a fast start into the 2006-07 NBA regular season, dropped to the last and final playoff spot in the East.

Who will win the 2007 NBA Championship? Here are some odds from Bodog:

Chicago Bulls 7/1

Detroit Pistons 9/1

Dallas Mavericks 7/2

Miami Heat 4/1 (boo!)

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for more NBA basketball odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

2007 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference

Best of the West to be decided in 2007 NBA Playoffs

The Western Conference always has been the stronger side of NBA Basketball.

With consistent powerhouse teams like the San Antonio Spurs, the Dallas Mavericks and the Phoenix Suns, the West always have the big boys. Additionally, the Western Conference finals, more often than not, becomes more exciting than the NBA Finals itself.

However, when it comes to the West representatives facing East representatives in a best-of-seven series to decide an NBA champion, the whole idea that the West is stronger is thrown out the window.

Why? Well just consider this, the East beat the West twice in the last three years for the NBA title. The Detroit Pistons did it to the Los Angeles Lakers back in 2004 and the Miami Heat did it to the Dallas Mavericks last year.

This year in the Western Conference playoffs, the BIG THREE secured the top three spots in the West side of the postseason. The Dallas Mavericks is your No.1 seed, Phoenix Suns No.2 and the San Antonio Spurs No.3.

The Utah Jazz, probably making a comeback now after their glory days with John Stockton and Karl Malone, have the No.4 spot while Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming and the Houston Rockets will face them in the first round at No.5.

Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony and the rest of the Denver Nuggets will come in the 2007 NBA Playoffs as the No.6 seed while Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom were able to bring the Los Angeles Lakers to No.7.

As for the West's last and final playoff spot, the Golden State Warriors just edged the Los Angeles Clippers in their little foot race for the postseason. If both teams finish with identical 41-41 records, the Clippers will advance since they won their season-series with Golden State. The Warriors took care of that by finishing 42-40.

Who will win the 2007 NBA Championship? Here are some odds from Bodog:

Chicago Bulls 7/1

Detroit Pistons 9/1

Dallas Mavericks 7/2

Miami Heat 4/1 (boo!)

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for more NBA basketball odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

2007 NBA Playoffs Western Conference