2006 NBA Betting Picks

Can Cavaliers beat Spurs at 2007 NBA Finals in Cleveland?

2007-06-12T01:31:00.000-07:00

For games 3, 4 and 5, the 2007 NBA Finals will be in Cleveland as the Cavaliers play the first of three games at home, down 0-2 to the Spurs.

ON TUESDAY, the Cleveland Cavaliers will face the San Antonio Spurs in Game 3. This will be the first of three home games for LeBron James and company as they try to get back to the 2007 NBA Finals currently being dominated by the San Antonio Spurs.

For games 1 and 2, the San Antonio Spurs dominated the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Spurs have been so dominant that people are already branding the Cavaliers as the weakest team these Spurs faced in the 2007 NBA Playoffs.

With the current makeup of the NBA today, that being all the powerhouse teams of the league jammed together in the West while the mediocre clubs call the East home, that is definitely a possibility.

The Spurs' domination of Cleveland was so apparent in the first two games of the 2007 NBA Finals, especially in Game 2, where San Antonio jumped on the Cleveland Cavaliers right from the get-go, leading by as many as 29 points early in the third quarter.

Cleveland's lone king, LeBron James, is being overly dominated by the three-headed monster from San Antonio. In Game 2, Tony Parker led the Spurs with 30 points, followed by Manu Ginobili who scored 25 and Tim Duncan with 23.

LeBron James was in his usual dominant form, scoring 25 points, but after that, nobody from the Cleveland Cavaliers stepped up. If it wasn't for the Cavaliers rookie Daniel Gibson and his 15 points off the bench, the Spurs could've ran over Cleveland easier.

The 2007 NBA Finals shift to Cleveland, Ohio as the Cavaliers play the first of three games at home, trying to get back to this seven-game championship series against the powerhouse team from San Antonio. The Cavaliers need somebody other than LeBron James to put the basket through the hoop.

Of course, when you're facing a team like the San Antonio Spurs, it's easier said than done.

Can the Cleveland Cavaliers win Game 3 over the San Antonio Spurs and cut their series lead to 2-1 in the 2007 NBA Finals? AcesAce Sportsbook has the odds.

San Antonio Spurs -1.5

Cleveland Cavaliers +1.5

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

San Antonio Spurs Cleveland Cavaliers

Who will win the 2007 NBA Finals? Spurs or Cavaliers?

2007-06-05T00:03:00.000-07:00

After 82 regular season games and 12 wins in the 2007 NBA Playoffs, the San Antonio Spurs and the Cleveland Cavaliers meet in the NBA Finals.

Yes, the San Antonio Spurs and the Cleveland Cavaliers are the TWO teams remaining, fighting for a chance to lift the Larry O'Brien trophy as they engage in the seven-game series of the 2007 NBA Finals.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, with LeBron James, now have an impending dominant dynasty and it's up to them to push it to reality when they take on the best of the West while the San Antonio Spurs try to prove to the young Cavaliers that it is STILL their time and no beast from the East can tell them otherwise yet.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, after shocking the rest of the world by beating the No.1 team in the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Pistons, will face the San Antonio Spurs dynasty trying to establish their own.

It took Michael Jordan seven NBA seasons before he had his very first NBA title. LeBron James can have his first one in only his third season in the league.

The San Antonio Spurs, after a tough Western Conference semifinals with the Phoenix Suns, had a rather easier time with the Utah Jazz coming to the final best-of-seven war of the NBA season.
Tim Duncan and Tony Parker still is the core of the San Antonio Spurs franchise and judging by the way the Texas tandem played in this year's playoffs, they're getting better and better with each year they've played together.

Since ''the Admiral'' retired from the game and left the Spurs all to Tim Duncan to lead, this franchise never skipped a beat, staying on top of the Western Conference as one of the NBA's elite teams. They will take on the Cavaliers beginning Thursday as they try to postpone the beginning of a new kingdom led by a King James.

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

Cleveland Cavaliers 12/1

San Antonio Spurs 5/8

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

San Antonio Spurs Cleveland Cavaliers

Pistons to beat Cavaliers 79-76 again in Game 3

2007-05-25T23:06:00.000-07:00

For two games straight, the Detroit Pistons beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, 79-76, in an eerily similar fashion.

Back in Game 1, LeBron James passed up a shot that would've tied the game. Instead, Donyell Marshall missed a desperation three-pointer much to the delight of Pistons fans. Pistons won 79-76.

In Game 2, LeBron James again had the ball. Only this time, he took the shot. He missed. The Cavaliers AGAIN lost to the Pistons, 79-76.

Well, it's STILL a Pistons win. However, I can't help but worry about how the Pistons won the first two games of this NBA Eastern Conference Finals series. As big as a Pistons fan as I am, I have to admit that Detroit didn't won those two games in convincing fashion.

In Game 1, the Cleveland Cavaliers led for most of the game. LeBron James was only held down to 10 points, his lowest output in the playoffs career-wise. But surprisingly, the other guys for Cleveland stepped up.

In Game 2, again, the Cleveland Cavaliers led for most of it. They were way ahead, I think by 14 points, at halftime. The Pistons, for the second straight game, managed to come up with a dramatic comeback in the second half.

If it wasn't for Rasheed Wallace, I'll be looking at a 1-1 tied series.

You just know the Pistons will win Game 3 when this seven-game series shifts to Cleveland, Ohio at the Quicken Loans Arena. The score? Easy.

79-76.

Can the Detroit Pistons win Game 3 at the Quicken Loans Arena and take a commanding 3-0 lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers? Who will win the 2007 NBA Championship? Here are some odds from Bodog:

Detroit Pistons 2/1

Cleveland Cavaliers 12/1

Utah Jazz 9/1

San Antonio Spurs 5/8 (boo!)

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

Detroit Pistons Cleveland Cavaliers

Real Madrid will have David Beckham on Sunday

2007-05-04T02:47:00.000-07:00

It seems David Beckham just wanted time to fly until he joins the Los Angeles Galaxy in the United States.

Let me explain, David Beckham was handed his 10th yellow card of the season when he was found guilty of, get this, ''wasting time'' in the 74th minute of Real Madrid's 4-1 bashing of Athletic Bilbao.

As a result, he was handed his 10th yellow card of the season, making him ineligible to play one game for Real Madrid.

And to think that Beckham had only SIX games remaining before he shifts to the United States and play in the MLS (Major League Soccer).

David Beckham received his 10th yellow card of the season for time-wasting in the 74th minute of Madrid's 4-1 win over Athletic Bilbao last Sunday.

Players incur an automatic one-game suspension with every five yellow cards.

Madrid argues the midfielder had delayed taking a free kick because Bilbao midfielder Fran Yeste was standing closer than the allowed 10 yards (9.15 meters).

The club will reportedly provide Spain's soccer federation with video evidence which shows Beckham had only waited to ask referee Cesar Muniz Fernandez to enforce the distance rule.

Suspension would leave Beckham with a maximum of only five games remaining before he joins the Los Angeles Galaxy in August.

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for more International Football Soccer Odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

David Beckham Real Madrid

Game 7 between Houston Rockets and Utah Jazz

2007-05-04T02:44:00.000-07:00

This best-of-seven Western Conference first round series between the Houston Rockets and the Utah Jazz has brought out the best in each team's group of guys, all vying to advance to the next round and be that much closer to the NBA title.

Of course, with only the Golden State Warriors standing between them and the Western Conference finals, you just know each team is just salivating to play Golden State and hope they won't be as careless as the Dallas Mavericks were.

The home team won ALL the home games in this best-of-seven first round series. And yep, the Houston Rockets WILL BE at home as they try to finish off the Utah Jazz in front of what would definitely be a raucous crowd in Texas.

The Jazz survived being eliminated at home when they were able to withstand the pressure from Houston, making its own run at Utah in the fourth quarter of Game 6. Desperation was the theme in Salt Lake City as the Jazz survived, winning Game 6, 94-82, to force a decisive Game 7 back in Texas.

The Jazz don't mind if the crowd will be up against them once it's time to play the final game of what turned out to be an exciting first-round battle. Well, of course, they DO mind but Utah Jazz point guard Deron Williams sure has a nice way of putting things in perspective.

''Now they're facing elimination as well,'' Williams said, ''so it puts a little pressure on them.''

Unfortunately, the Rockets will win game 7 and will have more than an easy time handling the Golden State Warriors who are probably tired now after beating the mighty Dallas Mavericks.

Can the Houston Rockets eliminate the Utah Jazz in Game 7? Who will win the 2007 NBA Championship? Here are some odds from Bodog:

Detroit Pistons 9/2

New Jersey Nets 40/1

Phoenix Suns 3/1

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 Utah Jazz Houston Rockets

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

2007-04-27T01:11:00.000-07:00

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

2007-04-20T02:03:00.000-07:00

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

2007-04-20T01:56:00.000-07:00

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

Tales that has come and go in March Madness Bracket

2007-03-16T01:43:00.000-07:00

The 2007 March Madness bracket battles are underway.

The wait is finally over as the first round of this year's March Madness bracket wars have been waged. The March Madness bracket tournament has been around for quite some time now and for those of you new to this annual spectacle of NCAA College Basketball, George Mason's improbable march in last year's bracket battles is perhaps the single-most significant event you'll remember.

Aside from George Mason's Cinderella season last year, there are quite a handful of feel-good stories the March Madness bracket brought to the table.

In 1983, watching Jimmy Valvano celebrate after his North Carolina State Wolfpack shock Houston was something. Sidney Lowe led the Wolfpack, letting Valvano parade around the hardwood in jubilation.

Sidney Lowe is the current mentor of the North Carolina State Wolfpack.

In 1985, the Kansas Jayhawks, the same basketball program included in the ''big four'' of the 2007 March Madness bracket battles, proved just how much the crowd can play in the outcome of a basketball game.

Larry Brown's Kansas Jayhawks were 12-8 at one point and heard chants of ''NIT, NIT.'' However, Danny Manning must not have been listening as he put the Jayhawks on his back and led them to the title. Yep, the Jayhawks sure have a lot of success already as they head to the 2007 March Madness bracket battles.

Can the Florida Gators successfully defend their NCAA College Basketball championship? Here are some odds from Bodog sportsbook.

Florida Gators 9/2

Ohio State Buckeyes 8/1

North Carolina Tar Heels 5/1

UCLA Bruins 8/1

Crazy about this year's March Madness? Visit OddsHQ for NCAA College Basketball odds.

March Madness Bracket, NCAA Basketball Tournament

It's the 2007 March Madness Bracket Selection Sunday!

2007-03-09T01:36:00.000-08:00

The Field of 65 is finally coming out.

With the final Field of 65 getting ready to be finalized Sunday, this 2007 season's March Madness bracket picture is finally clear... ALMOST. With only FOUR at-large bids left, here are the NCAA College Basketball teams you'll more likely STILL see when the entire field is finalized.

Tuesday night was BIG for this 2007 NCAA College Basketball season's March Madness bracket. Butler lost at Wright State in the Horizon League championship game, giving the Bulldogs a spot in the at-large pool.

You just know that these guys will take away a March Madness bracket spot and join the likes of the Sun Belt conference champions, North Texas and Oral Roberts, your 2007 Mid-Con champions.

NCAA College Basketball teams in the ACC Conference like the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Duke Blue Devils seem destined to continue their ongoing rivalry in the 2007 March Madness bracket battles.

North Carolina Tar Heels sophomore sensation Tyler Hansbrough will definitely be out for blood after Duke left him with a bloody nose in their last encounter. I will definitely watch out for that one.

As for this season's ''darlings of college hoops'' if you will, the Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big Ten Conference and the Texas Longhorns from the Big 12 are the BIG BOYS looking no less than an NCAA College Basketball championship this year.

Ohio State's Greg Oden and Kevin Durant of the Texas Longhorns are just looking to outplay each other this year and whoever lasts the longer in this year's March Madness bracket battles may very well bag the overall No.1 spot in the coming NBA Draft.

Nine teams have already taken a spot in the 2007 March Madness bracket battles. Pennsylvania from the Ivy League, Winthrop of Big South, Belmont of Atlantic Sun, Davidson from Southern and Eastern Kentucky from Ohio Valley have already earned their spots.

Joining them are the likes of Creighton from the Missouri Valley, VCU of the Colonial Atlantic, Niagara of the MAAC and Gonzaga of the West Coast, all earning automatic bids to the 2007 March Madness bracket tournament.

And if there's one thing you should bear in mind as we watch the 2007 March Madness bracket unfold, it's to expect NOTHING.

Who will win the NCAA College Basketball championship? Here are some odds from Bodog sportsbook.

Florida Gators 9/2

Ohio State Buckeyes 8/1

North Carolina Tar Heels 5/1

UCLA Bruins 8/1

Can't wait for March Madness? Visit OddsHQ for NCAA College Basketball odds.

March Madness, March Madness bracket

March Madness Field of 65 to be finalized Sunday

2007-03-06T00:48:00.000-08:00

This year's March Madness bracket battles are just a few days away and the field of 65 is slowly but surely, starting to unravel.

As of press time, only nine teams are definitely assured of the March Madness bracket spot. Pennsylvania from the Ivy League, Winthrop of Big South, Belmont of Atlantic Sun, Davidson from Southern and Eastern Kentucky from Ohio Valley have already earned their spots.

That means we have 56 more spots to fill eh? And yes, it's no coincidence that only Gonzaga is the lone big-name team to earn an automatic bid with merely six days away from selection Sunday.

Those 56 available spots are fair game for the rest of the NCAA College Basketball teams looking to earn their ticket to this year's March Madness. Any team can still make their move, besides, nobody can really say these teams will make it UNTIL they do anyway.

If there's one thing to learn about these March Madness bracket battles, it would have to be the fact that it's all about match-ups. It won't matter if you're the no.1 ranked team in the country or the last team to earn a March Madness invite.

If you saw how the George Mason Patriots ALMOST shock the rest of us, you'll know what I mean.

Unfortunately, George Mason, last year's March Madness Cinderella team, failed to make it to the field of 65 this season after bowing to the VCU Rams, ironically, 65-59.

Who will be the Cinderella team this year and win the NCAA College Basketball championship? Here are some odds from Bodog sportsbook.

Florida Gators 9/2

Ohio State Buckeyes 8/1

North Carolina Tar Heels 5/1

UCLA Bruins 8/1

Can't wait for March Madness? Visit OddsHQ for NCAA College Basketball odds.

March Madness, Field of 65

The Georgetown Hoyas are back in their old tricks again

2007-02-27T01:09:00.000-08:00

The Georgetown Hoyas remembered how they got all those championship titles. Now, they're using them on this year's college hoops wars.

Jeff Green, the talented forward of the Georgetown Hoyas, is bringing ''Hoya Paranoia'' so to speak, back. Yep, it seems the Hoyas are bringing back the style of basketball that propelled the school atop the NCAA College Basketball food chain some years ago, SLAMMING BODIES AND LOW SCORING GAMES.

Jeff Green sure played a big part in all of this. But with a Ewing playing in a Georgetown Hoyas jersey while a Thompson watches in the Hoyas bench, the images of the Georgetown championship basketball teams has definitely began to materialize.

Patrick Ewing Jr. is a 6'8'', 238-pound junior who wears his father's no.33 at the back of his gray Georgetown Hoyas jersey. Only time will tell if this Ewing can be as great as his father was when the Hall of Famer was electrifying Madison Square Garden in a New York Knicks uniform.

Of course, just like the old days, a Ewing's journey towards superstardom will be guided by a coach Thomson. Imagine that. John Thompson III, son of the former Georgetown coach, has the opportunity of guiding a Ewing big man to the top, just like his dad some years ago.

Wait, you haven't forgotten all about Jeff Green now haven't you?

Georgetown has won 11 straight games in this year's NCAA College Basketball season before losing to Syracuse. And that's thanks to Jeff Green, Georgetown's key for the coming March Madness bracket battles.

Forward Jeff Green, a 6-foot-9 junior from Hyattsville, Md., is a throw-back player, who seemingly doesn't do anything exceptionally well and yet does everything for Georgetown.

Going into Saturday's game, Green didn't rank among the Big East's top 15 scorers. He isn't among the league leaders in rebounds, assists or steals. But when the conference hands out its hardware in a couple of weeks, Green should be the Big East player of the year. There isn't a more valuable or versatile player in the college basketball's biggest league.

''Jeff Green is a basketball player and when you start trying to label him, saying he's a big guy or a small guy, all of a sudden he does something the opposite of what you are saying,'' Georgetown Hoyas head coach John Thompson III said. ''He is a basketball player and he is comfortable anywhere on the court.''

Can the Georgetown Hoyas win the NCAA College Basketball championship? Here are some odds from Bodog sportsbook.

Florida Gators 9/2

Ohio State Buckeyes 8/1

North Carolina Tar Heels 5/1

UCLA Bruins 8/1

Can't wait for March Madness? Visit OddsHQ for NCAA College Basketball odds.

March Madness, Georgetown Hoyas

Ben Wallace VS Detroit Pistons at the Palace

2007-02-23T00:17:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, former Piston Ben Wallace will lead the Chicago Bulls against his former team, the Detroit Pistons.

Pistons fans have been waiting for this since day one. The day when former Piston Ben Wallace returns to the Palace of Auburn Hills, bringing his Chicago Bulls squad with him, to face the Detroit Pistons.

The Chicago Bulls will visit the Detroit Pistons at the Palace of Auburn Hills on Sunday, marking the very first time Bulls center Ben Wallace returns to the very court that made him the NBA's defensive powerhouse.

The Bulls will come into this game probably banged up, drained and tired. After all, they did visit LeBron James and the rest of the Cleveland Cavaliers in Ohio before taking the trip to Washington D.C. to face the red hot Washington Wizards of Gilbert Arenas.

The Bulls do have Saturday off before taking the trip to Motor City. But when you take on a team like the Detroit Pistons, especially these days with a rejuvenated Chris Webber on their roster, you got to bring more than your A game.

And remember, these Pistons are probably holding a grudge still since Ben Wallace decided to sign with Chicago in the offseason. Of course, Ben Wallace knows that the Pistons fans are waiting for him.

''The Palace will be rocking,'' Ben Wallace said. ''They know I'm coming.''

It's time to see if the Bulls can make a playoff push with their young cast of scorers and if Ben Wallace can make a difference in the middle as envisioned. More importantly, it's time for Big Ben to show the Pistons what he is truly worth.

Can Ben Wallace lead the Chicago Bulls to the NBA Playoffs? 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.

Ben Wallace Detroit Pistons

Big 12 conference teams to March at March Madness

2007-02-23T00:11:00.000-08:00

Kevin Durant is ready for his first March Madness bracket battle.

If the Big Ten has Greg Oden and the Ohio State Buckeyes, the Big 12 has Kevin Durant and the Texas Longhorns. And in case you didn't realize it yet, Kevin Durant led the Longhorns just enough to be ready at the coming March Madness wars.

However, as good as Kevin Durant is, the Longhorns are not a lock for the March Madness bracket battles just yet. If you can imagine that. It turns out that nobody from his team can compliment his unparalleled talent yet. And yes, the Texas Longhorns are not the Texan team to beat in the Big 12.

That title belongs to the Texas A&M Aggies. The Aggies, along with the Kansas Jayhawks are, for a lack of a better term, ''golden.'' But fret not Kevin Durant fans, the Texas Longhorns are not that far behind from these two powerhouse teams. One more win and you'll see them Longhorns ''horn'' their way to the top.

As for the rest of the field?

The Oklahoma Sooners are stirring up a lot of hype in this NCAA College Basketball season for an institution crazy about college football. HOWEVER, the Sooners missed out on a big chance for a home upset of the talented Aggies and if they want to keep up the momentum they generated the last couple of weeks, they better start winning now.

The Texas Tech Red Raiders are fun to watch. Watching Texas Tech head coach Bobby Knight throw obscenities at the game officials is worth the admission already! There's only one problem though, throwing obscenities doesn't earn you the automatic invite for March Madness and if the Red Raiders want to extend their season 'til March, they better stop hovering around .500 and start solidifying their March Madness bracket slot.

Also read the March Madness should be's in the Big East.

Can the Texas Tech Red Raiders win the NCAA College Basketball championship? Here are some odds from Bodog sportsbook.

Florida Gators 9/2

Ohio State Buckeyes 8/1

North Carolina Tar Heels 5/1

UCLA Bruins 8/1

Can't wait for March Madness? Visit OddsHQ for NCAA College Basketball odds.

March Madness, Big 12

The 2007 NBA All Star Game in Las Vegas is ON!

2007-02-15T22:15:00.000-08:00

Las Vegas is ready for the biggest show of February.

The NBA's ''mid-season classic'' returns for it's 2007 offering as the best players from the Eastern Conference meet the towering giants of the Western Conference. It's the East going up against the West and judging by this year's starting line-ups, the East will definitely bow down to the West when it's all said and done.

This year, unlike last season's Detroit Pistons theme, the East will only have two Pistons on their roster. They snubbed Tayshaun Prince again. And to make matters worse for Detroit, Rasheed Wallace wasn't even asked to return.

Richard Hamilton and Chauncey Billups were selected as East reserves but snubbing Sheed and Tayshaun for a struggling Miami Heat tandem of Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal is just plain wrong.

Joining the Miami Heat tandem are the likes of LeBron James, Gilbert Arenas and the much improved Chris Bosh.

The West is where it's at this year. They were able to form one solid starting five, and that's saying with or without a Yao Ming at the starting center spot. Yao Ming won't be playing in this year's NBA All Star game in Las Vegas with him nursing an injury.

NO PROBLEM. The likes of Memo Okur and Dirk Nowitzki can definitely fill that void.

This year's West lineup is a mismatch waiting to happen compared to what the East came up with. The frontline of Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan will definitely dwarf anyone on the court matched up against them while the backcourt of Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady can take advantage of their combination of size and speed against an East backcourt of two natural point guards. (Wade and Arenas)

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.

Kevin Durant is ready for the coming March Madness

2007-02-15T22:11:00.000-08:00

Before you crown Ohio State Buckeyes tower or power, Greg Oden, the lock for overall no.1 pick in the NBA Draft, see the Texas Longhorns.

Kevin Durant of the Texas Longhorns, all of a sudden, is playing like Superman in basketball shoes. No one can seem to stop Kevin Durant lately and it seems all that media hype surrounding Ohio State's dominant giant seem to fade and starts to surround Texas' young superstar.

Every NCAA College Basketball team unfortunate enough to face Kevin Durant and the rest of the Texas Longhorns are just going nuts trying to stop this kid. They threw basically everything at the guy but Kevin just kept on going.

Full court man to man defense? Half court zones? They used 'em all, and NONE can't seem to work.

''He's the best freshman and one of the best players I've ever seen,'' Texas A&M head coach Billy Gillispie said. ''I don't think anyone has figured anything out. I think it's going to take NBA players to slow him down, and I doubt if they're going to do a very good job either.''

''I know people have tried to do different things (defensively),'' Texas assistant coach Russ Springmann said. ''Some people have face-guarded him. Some people have tried to be physical with him.''

''To Kevin's credit and his teammates' credit, he's continued to move and play in the flow of the game and his teammates have done a great job of paying attention to where he is and trying to find him when he's open.''

Can Kevin Durant lead the Texas Longhorns to win the NCAA College Basketball championship? Here are some odds from Bodog sportsbook.

Florida Gators 9/2

Ohio State Buckeyes 8/1

North Carolina Tar Heels 5/1

UCLA Bruins 8/1

Can't wait for March Madness? Visit OddsHQ for NCAA College Basketball odds.

Introducing the NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest Judges

2007-02-09T01:10:00.000-08:00

Who better to judge a slam dunk contest than these slam dunk champions right?

We all saw the likes of Charles Barkley bastardizing the most electrifying play in NBA Basketball, THE DUNK, blabbering about things they don't understand. One of the greatest dunkers in the game today, Andre Iguodala, even said Kenny Smith screwed him last year, leading to his decision not to join the slam dunk contest this NBA All-Star weekend in Las Vegas.

Well, it will be different this season. THIS TIME, slam dunk champions will judge the slam dunk contest on All-Star Saturday night, not aging overweight has-beens like Sir Charles Barkley.

Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins will lead the Slam Dunk contest judges this year. 'His Airness' and 'the Human Highlight Film' will be joined by 'Doctor J' Julius Erving and two of today's most electrifying aerial displays, Kobe Bryant and Vince Carter.

Wow. It doesn't get any better than that right?

Michael Jordan gave us that classic ''leap from the free throw line dunk,'' Kobe Bryant gave us that ''between the legs slam'' and Vince Carter showed us that crazy ''360 counter-clockwise between the legs jam.'' WHEW!

New York Knicks guard Nate Robinson will return to defend his Slam Dunk title. He will be joined by Chicago Bulls rookie Tyrus Thoms, Boston Celtics forward Gerald Green and Orlando Magic superstar, Dwight Howard.

After the 5-foot-9 Nate Robinson needed 14 attempts to complete a dunk in last year's dunk-off, a new rule is being implemented this season allowing competitors 2 minutes to complete a dunk once they've received the ball from the referee. If they haven't dunked within that time, they will have two more chances to do so.

Can Nate Robinson lead the New York Knicks to the NBA Playoffs? 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.

Iverson out for Revenge as Nuggets face 76ers

2007-01-02T00:32:00.000-08:00

Allen Iverson could be the most excited man in Denver despite the tragic death of Broncos cornerback, Darrent Williams

That is of course his former team, the Philadelphia 76ers, will come into town. This will be the very first meeting of the 76ers and Allen Iverson since that fateful day when Philadelphia decided to trade away one of the best scorers in NBA Basketball to the rocky mountains of Denver, Colorado.

However, as A.I. was preparing to face his former teammates, a funny thing happened as Nuggets guard Allen Iverson was about to address facing his old team after practice on Monday.

Practice was canceled.

And before you could finish the phrase, ''We're talkin' about practice,'' the man at the center of the Nuggets' revival was gone. No practice. No A.I. No talking. It doesn't mean his game won't spew out much more than his mouth ever could, anyway.

At least that's what the Denver Nuggets hope.

''I'm sure he's going to be extremely excited,'' Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl said, adding that he does not expect Iverson to step out of the boundaries of Denver's system to prove a point to his former teammates.

''He knows both sides,'' Karl said. ''I think he wants to play great, but I think he also understands that we can't break away from building what we've been building. He's a pro. He's going to be fine. And if we can, we'll help him have a great game. If they triple-team him, we're going to have to find other ways to win the game. The most important thing, the No. 1 priority, maybe the only priority, is to win.''

Of course, with the makeup the Philadelphia 76ers are in right now in the aftermath of Allen Iverson's departure, a Denver Nuggets win is almost a certainty.

Can Allen Iverson lead the Denver Nuggets to the NBA Playoffs? 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 the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

Too Much Jazz hurt Texans from San Antonio

2006-11-30T00:52:00.000-08:00

The Utah Jazz added a sour end to the road trip of these San Antonio Spurs.

Tim Duncan poked the ball away from Carlos Boozer near Utah's free-throw line, scooped it up and set his sights on the Spurs' basket 50 feet away. For all of Duncan's skills, however, foot speed is not among them. After lumbering down the floor, Duncan started to go up for a dunk only to have Boozer crack him back to the floor.

The hard foul not only prevented a basket, it sent a message. Apparently, the Jazz have grown tired of being pushed around by the Spurs.

And with the way the Utah Jazz are playing, no one should. Not the Chicago Bulls, not the Dallas Mavericks and obviously not the Miami Heat. The Miami Heat can't even do that to the young Oklahoma City / New Orleans Hornets.

With former Duke standout, Carlos Boozer, totaling 23 points and 16 rebounds, Andrei Kirilenko pogo-sticking his way all over the court and Deron Williams burying one clutch shot after another, the Jazz beat the Spurs 83-75 Wednesday night at EnergySolutions Arena.

The victory was just Utah's third in its past 25 games against the San Antonio Spurs. With it, the Jazz improved their NBA-best record to 13-3 while handing the Spurs (11-5) their first losing streak of the season.

''Right now they're a tougher-minded club than we are,'' San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said. ''We have a little ways to go to be as tough-minded as they are.''

On Saturday, the San Antonio Spurs will try to rebound from this loss as they host the Sacramento Kings. The Kings, without any solid low-post threat since Chris Webber left for Philly, should be easy prey for Tim Duncan and company.

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 the best odds on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Will Knicks be booed out of MSG Against the Cavaliers?

2006-11-13T01:25:00.000-08:00

2-5. That's the stand the New York Knicks are in right now in Isiah Thomas' first crack as an NBA Basketball head coach.

When the NBA Basketball hall of famer took over as head coach for the struggling New York Knicks, many thought this will open brighter days for their franchise after having quite a very disappointing stint last season.

Well, the New York Knicks lost two of their last three games and fans are starting to wonder if Isiah Thomas can really make a difference. Yes, the Knicks fans at Madison Square Garden has started booing their Knicks out of the building too.

As the New York Knicks returned home, Thomas turned his frustration toward the New York fan base, which has made Madison Square Garden inhospitable only to the home team. The Cleveland Cavaliers will arrive Monday, and it is possible that LeBron James will be greeted with far more enthusiasm than the Knicks.

''We got to start winning at home,'' Isiah Thomas said. ''And we got to get to the point where we make our arena uncomfortable. It disappoints me that players feel that they can come into New York and that's the place to put on a show and play your best. We got to change that mind-set across the league.''

He added, ''Save your best performances for other arenas. We don't necessarily want them in ours.''

The New York Knicks lost BOTH their home games so far this NBA Basketball season. They lost to the Indiana Pacers and the San Antonio Spurs as Knicks fans in attendance booed their team with reckless abandon.

Most of the booing were directed to Brooklyn native, Stephon Marbury, who is not having one of his best seasons so far.

Monday, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers will be looking to put on quite a show at the world's most popular arena. Michael Jordan just LOVED playing here and LeBron James, wearing no.23 himself, will definitely be looking to do the same.

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!)

No More Magic between Darko Milicic and Orlando

2006-11-03T00:42:00.000-08:00

For Darko Milicic, it's all happening again.

After the Detroit Pistons drafted Darko Milicic, the seven foot forward failed to impress general manager Joe Dumars. This led to his exile from Detroit to Orlando.

Coming to the Orlando Magic, Darko Milicic single-handedly engineered excitement, having Orlando Magic fans contemplating on the franchise's future to what they once called a promising young NBA Basketball talent.

All that changed after the NBA deadline passed without the Orlando Magic and Darko Milicic coming to a long-term contract extension. Talks can't commence again between the Magic and Milicic until July 1, 2007, according to the league's collective bargaining agreement.

Milicic now will become a restricted free agent, meaning he can negotiate with other teams next summer. The Magic, though, will have the right to match any offer for the 7-foot, 278-pound power forward.

Too bad huh?

''I want to see if we have a player,'' Orlando Magic general manager Otis Smith said.

Milicic sat on the bench for two-plus seasons in Detroit before showing glimpses of promise during a 30-game cameo in Orlando. He has a lot riding on this season, with his long-term value fluctuating.

Smith touched base with Milicic's agent, Marc Cornstein. Cornstein called Milicic's negotiations with the Magic ''tricky,'' given his client has not proven his potential.

''We understand. They want to see what they're getting,'' Cornstein said by phone from New York. ''You do open the door to other teams, for them to say, 'Hmmm, what would it take to make a run at Darko this year?'''

Given Darko Milicic's performances so far as a former no.2 overall draft pick, AB-SO-LUTE-LY nothing.

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

Washington needs more Wizardry against the Celtics

2006-11-03T00:32:00.000-08:00

The Washington Wizards found out that they can't finish close NBA Basketball games.

We all saw these in the NBA Playoffs last year. We all saw how the Washington Wizards fumble the basketball in the dying seconds of the game. We all saw how the Washington Wizards miss key free throws when the game is on the line.

And yes, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers seem to find themselves at the sweeter end of the deal.

In a near replica of last spring's thrilling first-round playoff series, the Washington Wizards and Cleveland Cavaliers tipped off their 2006-07 NBA Basketball seasons last Wednesday with a tightly contested game that featured dramatic momentum swings, big shots and, for the Wizards, missed opportunities.

The Cavaliers, who won that memorable series in six games, emerged with a 97-94 win after Washington's Jarvis Hayes and Antawn Jamison each missed an open three-point attempt that would have tied the game and forced overtime.

Been there. Done that. Too bad for the Wizards faithful.

On Saturday, the Boston Celtics will be coming in to visit the Washington Wizards at the MCI Center. The Boston Celtics, after the death of legendary Celtics head coach Red Auerbach, are playing with a purpose.

If the Washington Wizards are not careful, another loss will be dealt to what would be a 0-2 start and the Boston Celtics will leave with the win.

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

Lakers and Suns Kick Off NBA Basketball Season

2006-10-31T00:46:00.000-08:00

Are you ready?

The brand new NBA Basketball season is finally here as we are going to start these annual basketball battles with a big-time double-header every red-blooded NBA Basketball fans would just drool over.

FIRST, the Miami Heat will take the basketball court and begin their defense of the NBA Championship against a team probably picked to destroy Miami's stranglehold of the NBA Eastern Conference.

The Chicago Bulls.

The Chicago Bulls come in with new acquisition Ben Wallace to give the aging Shaquille O'Neal a tough time in the paint.

The second game of this NBA Basketball double-header is the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns. This game is a rematch of that wonderful NBA Playoffs series last season that went the full seven games.

The Los Angeles Lakers were up 3-1 then, needing only a win to advance. If it wasn't for Suns guard, Raja Bell, and Tim Thomas' game-winning three-pointer, Tinseltown could've had a dream playoff match-up between it's Lakers and Clippers.

On Tuesday, the Lakers are looking for revenge on the run and gun Phoenix Suns team. And yes, THIS TIME, Phoenix won't be having Tim Thomas around. The Lakers will probably win this game right? Not quite. Kobe Bryant has not seen the court in the NBA preseason because of a nagging knee injury and he's still questionable coming to Tuesday's game.

Kobe Bryant has not fully recovered from mid-July arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, saying Sunday that he doesn't yet ''trust'' his knee when it comes to planting and cutting. He will, however, be hoping to face the same team that eliminated them in the NBA Playoffs by winning the next three games. That is after he ran through a Monday morning practice in which he said he felt ''really good... really, really good.''

For Tinseltown's sake, let's sure hope so.

All Star Sportsbook has the odds on this NBA Basketball season opener between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns.

Phoenix Suns -3.5

Los Angeles lakers +3.5

Houston Look to Blast Things Away in NBA Basketball

2006-10-02T02:10:00.000-07:00

The Houston Rockets, after a disappointing season, are looking for reinforcements.

When the Houston Rockets report for the annual physicals and team meeting leading to the start of training camp, they expect to officially add a former Rockets player, Scott Padgett, a heralded new player, Bonzi Wells, and greet four players who will not be with them when the month ends.

With the additions of Padgett and Wells today, the Rockets will bring 19 players to camp. Padgett, Matt Haryasz, Casey Jacobsen and Kelenna Azubuike are going to camp with non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed contracts.

Padgett and Wells are expected to sign different contracts but under similar circumstances. Both chose the Rockets after failing to find the free-agent options they sought.

Scott Padgett was released by the Nets after one season. Though Houston Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy often said he was missed last season, Padgett will need to play his way on to the roster.

''He's coming to camp,'' Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson said. ''He has a little bit of an inside advantage because he was with us.''

Bonzi Wells will sign for the remainder of the Rockets' mid-level exception after agreeing to the deal last Wednesday.

Can the Houston Rockets win the 2007 NBA Finals? Here are some outright odds from Sports Interaction on who will do just that.

Detroit Pistons 7.50

Dallas Mavericks 6.50

San Antonio Spurs 5.50

Miami Heat 6.00

American Sports is Going Down... Again.

2006-09-05T01:37:00.000-07:00

How far has American sports slipped in international standards?

It's all Greek to Team USA, struggling to understand how they've slipped from the summit of world sports, basketball included. Many of them can no more grasp their team's loss to Greece at the FIFA World Championships than pronounce ''Sofoklis Schortsianitis.''

Canadians have been down this road with hockey, especially. They also learned the hard way that the rest of the world is a place not to be underestimated. Canada is a small nation on the world sporting stage, in any event.

The U.S., though, the world's only remaining ''superpower,'' is used to being prohibitive favorite in things it takes seriously. Like NBA Basketball. Even though Team USA has been getting stunned periodically on the international hoops stage for nearly 20 years, they still assume it is impossible to happen again.

''We commit the single most arrogant and unpardonable mistake in competition. We underestimate the opponent,'' writes columnist Michael Wilbon of the Washington Post. ''Hell, half the time we don't even pay any attention to the opponent. We didn't know the Greek players, so how could they be any good? Where are their phat shoe contracts? Where were they in the Top 10 Dunks on SportsCenter? How talented could they be if they don't have a Gatorade commercial or answer to a single name like Shaq or Kobe or LeBron?''

America might not know the rest of the world. But the rest of the world knows America. Could there be any more satisfying win than over the No.1, all-world Yanks?

Where would they be without Tiger Woods? Thanking their lucky stars and stripes for NASCAR and good-old John Madden in NFL Football? Yep, USA is definitely on a collective slump.

The NBA will see former North Carolina Tar Heels Relive NCAA College Basketball Days

2006-07-12T23:26:00.000-07:00

The University of North Carolina and the Dean E. Smith Center will play host to two NBA preseason games in October featuring former North Carolina Tar Heels superstars.

Former Tar Heels, now NBA young guns like Raymond Felton, Brendan Haywood, Antawn Jamison, Sean May and Marvin Williams will be returning to University of North Carolina for an NBA exhibition game.

Felton and May's Charlotte Bobcats are involved in both exhibition games, including an October 17 match-up against Haywood and Jamison's Washington Wizards, and an October 27 game against Williams and the Atlanta Hawks.

Felton, May and Williams were members of the 2005 NCAA college basketball champion Tar Heels. Jamison led Carolina to back-to-back Atlantic Coast Conference championships and Final Fours in 1997 and 1998 and was the 1998 National Player of the Year.

Haywood is one of three UNC players to ever record a triple-double in a game and is Carolina's all-time leader in field goal percentage and blocked shots.

The University of North Carolina is a sixteen university system which comprises all public four-year universities in North Carolina, United States.

While the system's Board of Governors oversee general system policy, each campus executes a large degree of autonomy from the system and are classified as separate institutions.

The system has a total enrollment of over 183,000 students and confers over 75 per cent of all bachelor degrees in North Carolina. The system provides quality education at some of the lowest tuition rates in the US despite recent tuition increases.

Can the North Carolina Tar Heels win this year's NCAA College Basketball title? Visit and bet on Bodog today.

Here are some NCAA College Basketball game odds of some NCAA College Basketball teams and their chances of winning NCAA College Basketball's biggest prize:

Adam Morrison will be $3 M Richer with the Charlotte Bobcats in the NBA

2006-07-10T20:04:00.000-07:00

Adam Morrison of Gonzaga is the new million dollar man in the NBA.

Adam Morrison, the No.3 overall pick in the NBA Draft, will make $3 million next season under a contract he signed with the Charlotte Bobcats.

''We have already seen how his skills will benefit our team and how competitive he is on the court,'' coach and general manager Bernie Bickerstaff said.

Morrison will be paid nearly $3.25 million in the second year of the deal under terms of the rookie pay scale that is part of the NBA's collective bargaining agreement. The Bobcats will have the option to renew the contract in years three and four.

Morrison, a 6-foot-8, 205-pound forward out of Gonzaga, is expected to play for the Bobcats' summer league team in Orlando, then work out with the U.S. national team in Las Vegas.

''It has been a lifelong dream to play in the NBA,'' Morrison said in a statement released by the team. ''I look forward to doing whatever I can to help the Bobcats take the next step as we build toward a championship.''

Morrison led the nation in scoring last season, winning a duel with Duke guard J.J. Redick by averaging 28.1 points per game.

Can Adam Morrison lead the Charlotte Bobcats all the way to the NBA Playoffs? Visit and bet on Bodog today.

Allen Iverson is the Answer to the Denver Nuggets' Prayers in NBA Basketball

2006-07-09T22:37:00.000-07:00

Allen Iverson. The Philadelphia 76ers and the Denver Nuggets have been talking about him for months now.

Allen Iverson, the king of cornrows and that killer crossover, not to mention an indiscriminate shooter from the hip and the lip, is as good a place as any to start a heated debate, because he's one player guaranteed to ignite countless arguments regarding everything right and wrong about pro hoops.

If the Nuggets want to take a shot at greatness, their immediate trade discussions should begin and end with two words.

Allen Iverson.

Any billionaire owner of an NBA franchise can maintain a team's mediocre status quo by signing young players Carmelo Anthony and Nene to contracts worth $140 million. It's a no-brainer. And, for Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke, it's chump change.

If Kroenke craves a championship as badly as I think he does, then the Nuggets should do whatever it takes to cut a deal for Iverson, the 31-year-old point guard who has worn out his welcome in Philadelphia.

The Sixers and Denver have been linked in trade rumors regarding Iverson for months. There have been billows of smoke, but no fire. It's time to get serious.

Philly desires a stout defense and the measure of sanity that A.I.'s exit could provide. The Nuggets desperately seek a scorer to take the pressure off Melo. So trade Denver center Marcus Camby and point guard Andre Miller for Iverson.

How's that for a blockbuster deal?

Could Philadelphia, undoubtedly open to the possibility of trading Iverson, benefit from the shot-blocking of Camby to anchor its defense and appreciate Miller's steady hand running the Sixers offense? Yes.

Would any NBA team be more fun, sell more tickets throughout the league and have more popular jerseys across the nation than Denver, if Iverson and Anthony were the marquee names? No.

Will the Philadelphia 76ers trade Allen Iverson to the Denver Nuggets? Log on to Bodog for more betting odds today.

Ben Wallace is America's Gift to Chicago this Fourth of July

2006-07-03T22:53:00.000-07:00

First, Detroit lost Steve Yzerman. Now, it seems they will lose Ben Wallace too.

Wallace, an unrestricted free agent, and his agent, Arn Tellem, were close to signing a contract Monday night with the Chicago Bulls worth substantially more than the four-year, $48-million offer the Pistons opened negotiations with Saturday.

According to a person close to the negotiations, the Bulls had offered something closer to four years, $60 million to bring the NBA's top defensive stopper to the Windy City.

The deal was expected to be finalized late Monday or early Tuesday with Wallace's oral agreement. He can't sign an official contract until July 12. Either way, the news leaves the Pistons facing a tough question in the middle of these Fourth of July festivities.

What do they do now?

Wallace, 31, played six seasons for the Pistons, becoming the franchise's all-time leader in both blocks and reaching fourth all-time on the rebound chart with 6,048. When he came to Detroit in 2000 in the sign-and-trade that shipped former star Grant Hill to Orlando, Wallace was known as a role-playing, undrafted, undersized center without nearly the star power he enjoys today.

Now, his profile has skyrocketed along with his trademark Afro.

Wallace, a soft-spoken, no-nonsense personality, soon became symbolic of the Pistons' style, a defensive-minded, grind-it-out, tough way of play. Despite being only 6-feet-9, he controlled the paint on the defensive end against much bigger bodies.

He almost never missed a game with an injury. He was considered the heart and soul of the Pistons locker room, where his teammates affectionately called him ''Body.''

The Detroit Pistons could very well start the brand new 2006-2007 NBA Season all hype but no ''body.'' Ben Wallace will sign with the Chicago Bulls and that will definitely be a sad day for Detroit sports.

Will Ben Wallace lead the Chicago Bulls in the East? Who will the Pistons replace Ben Wallace with? Bodog has all the player propositions on tap. Bet on Bodog today.

Philadelphia 76ers eye Ben Wallace

2006-07-02T23:57:00.000-07:00

The Philadelphia 76ers WILL improve their defense if they land Ben Wallace.

Two of the 76ers' biggest deficiencies last season were defense and rebounding, so president and general manager Billy King went after the guy who is one of the best in the NBA in both areas.

On the first day NBA teams could negotiate with free agents, King pulled a bit of a surprise yesterday and contacted the agent for Detroit Pistons center Ben Wallace, a four-time NBA defensive player of the year.

The 6-foot-9 Wallace, who will turn 32 in September, appeared ready to return to the Pistons before they were eliminated in the NBA playoffs. But during the season, he hired Arn Tellem, one of the most high-powered agents in the league, known for aggressively finding the best deals for his clients.

The Pistons are believed to be interested in signing Wallace for four years, with a salary starting at $11 million to $12 million. But another team may be interested in offering him a maximum deal of six years, with a salary beginning at $14 million or $15 million.

The Sixers, who are over the salary cap, can obtain Wallace only in a sign-and-trade with the Pistons. The Chicago Bulls, who have room under the salary cap, are also looking into signing Wallace.

Wallace averaged 11.3 rebounds (fifth in the NBA), 2.21 blocked shots and 1.8 steals last season.

King also called the representatives for the Sixers' three restricted free agents - John Salmons, Willie Green and Shavlik Randolph - as well as the agent for Washington Wizards swingman Jared Jeffries.

King tendered qualifying offers to Salmons, Green and Randolph on Thursday, meaning the Sixers will have the right to match any offer the players receive from another team. Salmons, if signed, could be used as a piece in a trade, but the Sixers seem to want Green and Randolph back.

The versatile 6-11 Jeffries, who averaged 6.4 points and 4.9 rebounds in 77 games last season while earning a little less than $2.8 million, is a restricted free agent, meaning the Wizards can match any offer he receives.

What will be the next step for the Philadelphia 76ers during the offseason? Rumor has it that they are also willing to trade Allen Iverson away, the man who single-handedly put the Sixers organization back on track. Whatever happens, the Sixers will certainly have an entirely different line-up once the brand new 2006-2007 NBA Season starts.

Will the Philadelphia 76ers trade Allen Iverson? Will Ben Wallace sign with Philadelphia? Bodog has all the player propositions on tap. Bet on Bodog today.

Dirk to lift Dallas past Miami in Game 6 of the NBA Finals

2006-06-19T20:05:00.000-07:00

Dirk Nowitzki is angry.

First he cleared the basketball from in front of him with a swift foot as if imitating his country's World Cup keeper, Jens Lehmann. And just before he disappeared into the visitors' locker room, Dirk Nowitzki took another kick, this time at a small tree of camera lights.

Except Games 1 and 2, the past three games of this best-of-seven NBA Finals series saw Dirk Nowitzki disappear. There's something about playing in Florida that lessens the German Assassin to a mere mortal. Thankfully, Jason Terry and Josh Howard have been playing tremendously in Dirk's somewhat lack of intensity.

Game 6 could very well be the game when the German Assassin in Dirk Nowitzki returns.

Asked Monday back in the Mavericks' practice gym inside American Airlines Center about his outburst after the Mavericks' third consecutive loss Sunday in the NBA Finals, Dirk explained, ''Sometimes, you got to let it out.''

There are so many reasons why the Mavericks didn't return from a week in Miami with the NBA championship trophy so many expected they would and, instead, came back with lousy tales of woe from South Beach.

Fortunately for the Mavericks, this is a best-of-7 series and Games 6 and 7, if needed, are scheduled for play in Dirk's house.

It is easy to pick on Dirk only because the whole basketball world has seen what he can do when he asserts himself. Drop half a hundred on the Suns in the conference finals. Put up a Tim Duncan-like double-double (26 points, 21 rebounds) against, well, Tim Duncan in the semis.

Dirk can be unstoppable. Game 6 would be a good time for him to remind everyone.

Just like Wade went home and single-handedly took control of this series, Dirk needs to snatch the series back now that he's on his home wood.

That's what superstars do on this ultimate stage. Duncan did it two of the last three years. Shaq did it three years in a row. Michael Jordan did it each of his six times in the season's last set of games.

This is why the league says that the NBA Finals are a place ''where legends are born.''

Dirk NEEDS to be legendary in Game 6 to keep their season alive. More importantly, Dallas needs Dirk to be legendary to keep their hopes of an NBA championship STILL within reach.

[Who will be 2006 NBA Champions? Can Dallas come back from a 3-2 deficit? Visit and bet on Bodog now.]

Dallas to bury Miami on the beaches of Florida in Games 3, 4 and 5

2006-06-12T19:37:00.000-07:00

Games 3, 4 and 5 will be held at Miami in the NBA's 2-3-2 format during these

NBA Finals.

All three games will be critical, especially for the Miami Heat who are now down three games to nil.

On the other hand, it will be as important for the Mavericks, as they try to at least win one of these three games and hope to win the NBA Championship in front of their fans for Game 6.

Well, with the way the Mavericks are going, they could very well JUST SWEEP the Heat at home. And with a consistent German assassin in Dirk Nowitzki, an explosive high-flying jet in Jason Terry, and a rejuvenated Jerry Stackhouse coming off the bench, the Mavericks are certainly capable of ending this series in Miami's yard.

Shaquille O'Neal was NEUTRALIZED in games 1 and 2. Erick Dampier did a wonderful job against the Diesel in the first two games of the NBA Finals.

Throw in DeSagana Diop, too.

Yes, it's probably unrealistic to expect the Mavericks' tandem to hold O'Neal to another five-point game as they did in Game 2, Shaq's worst game ever in the playoffs. However, with these Mavericks, anything's possible.

They also can't afford to let him run like a bull, dragging the Heat back into the series with him. What the Mavs have done is make it hard for Shaq's teammates to hit him with passes over Dampier or Diop. And they are double-teaming from many angles as soon as O'Neal gets the ball. Basically, the Mavs are admitting that they think O'Neal can beat them. They're just determined not to let it happen.

Heck, if they can stop O'Neal like they did in Games 1 and 2, all that's left to stop is Dwyane Wade, and Josh Howard is Dallas' primary candidate to pick up the assignment.

Truth is, though, that Dallas does have a bit more than hopeful schemes and a prayer to throw at the flu-ridden Wade. It has Josh Howard, too. Which is significant because Wade himself has said that Howard harasses him as well as any defender in the league.

The harassment started in college, where Howard shadowed Wade in two Wake Forest-Marquette duels. Howard's team won in 2001; Wade's team took the 2003 rematch.

[Who will be 2006 NBA Champions? Can Dallas bury Miami's season on the beaches of Florida for games 3, 4 and 5? Visit and bet on Bodog now.]

Dallas doesn't have anything to lose in the NBA Finals

2006-06-07T19:44:00.000-07:00

The Dallas Mavericks are not ''Overachievers.''

But at the very least, this is a team that got where it wanted to go faster than it expected.

For all the talk from Avery Johnson about championships and going for the ring now, not after a three-year plan is executed, the Mavericks still are a surprise entrant in the NBA Finals. As Johnson himself said last week, if you had Dallas and Miami picked to make it here, you probably made a lot of money.

Del Harris said that the Mavericks entered this season with their realistic goals being to win 52 games and make it past the first round of the playoffs. After winning 58 games last season, they lost Michael Finley and Shawn Bradley. They had replaced them with Doug Christie (later Adrian Griffin) and DeSagana Diop.

Those guys just didn't seem to be the answer to winning more than 58 games, Harris said. Publicly, the goal was higher, of course. Avery Johnson wanted his team to aim for the championship every day from the opening of training camp.

''Realistically, we knew how very difficult it would be,'' Harris said. ''But if we didn't keep it as a goal on a weekly basis, if not daily basis, then we would never get there. We couldn't have as a goal what we thought we'd actually be this year. But by having that goal, even if we fell short this year, it would get us closer to it next year.''

''Now that we're here, we're not sure we'll ever get back again,'' Harris said. ''So we want to make the most of it. We've seen these windows close, for whatever reason. We got to 'peat' before we can repeat.''

The Dallas Mavericks surprised themselves when they made THIS far in the conclusion of the 2005-2006 NBA Season. The Mavericks will face the Miami Heat in the 2006 NBA Finals and coming to this series, the Mavericks would have to be the more dangerous team because after all, they are the team without nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Bodog has the odds on this year's NBA Finals. Log on and check out Bodog for all the odds now.

Piston Season, wasted in the NBA Playoffs?

2006-06-05T22:50:00.000-07:00

It was a wasted season for Ben Wallace.

And he meant that in a good way. Because Ben Wallace, being a champion that he is, knows so well that being contended with what they have done this year, settling for second best in the Eastern Conference, certainly is not something a franchise like Detroit's should be proud of.

After the Miami Heat ended Detroit in what would've been their third straight trip to the NBA Finals, Ben Wallace knows so well that once a team settles for simply not being No.1, that team will NEVER be No.1.

The 2005-2006 NBA Season almost dictated another year for the Pistons hopefuls. A 37-5 start and a season where the Pistons ALMOST got to the 70-win plateau certainly made that.

They didn't expect a Miami Heat team coming together at the right place, at the right time.

Fans tend to only see things from the perspective of their team. They tend to overlook that there is a fine line between winning and losing at this elite level, and others want it as badly or more. The Pistons encountered the same thing that took down San Antonio. Other teams have you in their sights and want what you’ve achieved as badly as you wanted it before you got it.

In the Pistons case, Miami had their hearts cut out when the Pistons beat them in games six and seven last spring. Pat Riley, one of the greatest coaches in history, returned to the bench and brought in four proven players to mesh with his two superstars.

He also motivated Shaquille O’Neal to lose 25 pounds and nursed him to health the first half of the season. The Heat had just one mission – dethrone and avenge the Pistons, and their established stars and the new players all bought into it – willing to sacrifice in any way they were asked in order to achieve the greater goal.

Now, looking back at these, the Pistons will look forward for the next season, this time NOT as the team to beat but a TEAM. A team agitated, furious, and pissed off. Next season, the Pistons will come in as the HUNTERS, instead of the HUNTED.

[The Miami Heat dethroned the Detroit Pistons in the East and will be going for their first championship against the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals. Can they finally win a title? Visit and bet on Bodog now.]

Is Miami Ready to Face THEIR Destiny against the West?

2006-06-04T01:08:00.000-07:00

Is this the best Miami Heat team ever?

That's what you witnessed Friday night, the Heat growing from excellent to unprecedented right before your eyes.

Heat 95, Pistons 78.

Now, Miami finds itself in a magical place it has never been in 18 years of existence.

The championship round.

Eighteen years it took Miami to climb this high. Miami will play either the immensely talented Dallas team of seven-foot extraterrestrial Dirk Nowitzki or the fun-and-gun Phoenix team of two-time Most Valuable Player Steve Nash.

Beginning Thursday night, Miami will be four victories from being crowned the best basketball team in the world. Miami is hotter than any team in professional basketball, having won 10 of its last 13 playoff games after going a miserable 2-12 this season against division leaders.

There aren't a lot of ways to explain that. ''Magic'' would be one of them.

''Let's go win this [expletive],'' Antoine Walker screamed underneath that trophy, at the center of the madness. You had to read his lips.

You certainly couldn't hear him, not with so many fans thundering around him, refusing to leave this arena, refusing to let go of this feeling.

Against a very very tough team coming out of the West, THAT team just might MAKE Miami let it go.

Bodog has the odds on this year's NBA Finals. Log on and check out Bodog for all the odds now.

Dirk Nowitzki, the Next Larry Bird?

2006-06-03T01:28:00.000-07:00

The Dallas Mavericks' German Assassin became Bird-like in this series.

BUT, Dirk Nowitzki already was motivated before Phoenix Suns forward Tim Thomas started blowing kisses in Game 5.

Coach Avery Johnson challenged Nowitzki after Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.

Steve Nash has your MVP trophy, Johnson told Nowitzki. Go take it back, he added.

Nowitzki responded with an epic 50-point game, which included scoring 15 consecutive Mavericks points during the fourth quarter of a 117-101 win.

Asked on Friday about his talk with Nowitzki, Johnson paused.

"No comment," he said before making an acknowledgement to accompanying laughter. "Boy, people can't keep their mouth shut."

With the NBA counting down the top 60 playoff moments, it is possible Nowitzki's performance might crack a future list. Assistant Del Harris, who has seen the league's elite for four decades, provided a historical context.

Harris' coaching career included four best-of-7 series against a vintage '80s Larry Bird, with whom Nowitzki has sometimes prematurely been compared. Although Bird never put together a 50-point, 12-rebound game in the playoffs, Harris remembered his game-dominating presence and passing ability.

"Bird is one of the five best who ever played," Harris said. "But would Bird have been proud of that game? Yes, he would have – and it probably would have gone on his refrigerator, along with a couple other articles."

Dirk Nowitzki certainly is turning out to be one awesome player. However, all this is nothing if he can't come home with an NBA Title. If he can lead his Mavericks past Phoenix, all that stands in his way are those guys from Miami in red. And beating those guys with the play Dirk brings to the table will probably be the easy part.

Can the Mavericks look past Phoenix and face Miami in the NBA Finals? Can these Texans do it against a Phoenix Suns team led by reigning MVP, Steve Nash? Bet on Bodog now.

The Heat are Happy, Shaq's not... NOT YET

2006-06-03T00:53:00.000-07:00

Shaquille O'Neal is Back in the NBA Finals.

This is not the flu season. And yet Dwyane Wade somehow gets the flu. What are the odds? Of the few people in South Florida who have the flu, Wade, of all people, has to be one of them?

It couldn't be a less important player against a lesser opponent at a less important time of year. No, it had to be the Miami Heat's star against the Heat's biggest rival at only the most important time in franchise history. Miami, fortunately, had one monster of a vaccine.

Name of Shaquille O'Neal.

Seven-feet of feel-good-fast.

Three hundred thirty pounds of get-well-soon.

Shaq (28 points, 16 rebounds, two missed shots) helped cure all of Miami's ills. Helps, too, that Jason Williams (21 points, six assists, one turnover) gave Miami an enormous shot in the arm. And now it is the Detroit Pistons who feel sick.

O'Neal didn't celebrate at the center of the madness. Didn't hold up the trophy with a smiling Pat Riley. Didn't hear Wade keep repeating ''Very sweet. Very sweet.'' Didn't hear Alonzo Mourning say, ''I've never had an opportunity to experience a moment like this.''

Shaq, a three-time champion, the Heat's only champion other than Riley, doesn't celebrate the possibility of second place. He said he wasn't satisfied with this celebration. He wants the parade.

Last season at this time, Miami suffered the most heartbreaking loss in franchise history because Wade had a bad rib and Shaq had a bad thigh and Damon Jones had a bad foot and Udonis Haslem had a bad finger. Miami's body, crippled.

This time, it was Detroit that was falling apart in pieces. Rasheed Wallace and Rip Hamilton limped on sore ankles and Ben Wallace and Antonio McDyess had wrapped wrists.

And at the end, just to rub it in, Walker broke out his patented shimmy-shake of the shoulders.

''Only because I don't like Detroit,'' he said. ``Just for them. They kind of disregarded us. A swagger, a cockiness. This isn't the same team they played last year. We didn't really respect them because they didn't respect us.''

However, as sweet as this victory was, the Miami Heat is looking like a team who is HAPPY to just be in the NBA Finals. That may prove to be the weakness the team from the West will be looking for.

The Mavericks will be the ones more likely to face Miami in the NBA Finals. Can these Texans do it against a Phoenix Suns team led by reigning MVP, Steve Nash? Bet on Bodog now.

THIS TIME, it's Miami taking advantage of Detroit's Injuries

2006-06-03T00:32:00.000-07:00

It was simply Miami's turn.

With three minutes to play, the fans tossed their white chair covers through the air as they remembered how Detroit eliminated their Heat when D-Wade was hurting.

This time, they have a healthy Wade, a rejuvenated Shaq, going up against a Pistons team with Rasheed Wallace and Rip Hamilton, slowed down by injuries.

With three minutes to play, Detroit could only watch the early festivities, by then, their season was already over. A few minutes later, it was official -- 95-78, Miami wins.

Richard Hamilton did all he could in the fourth quarter of Game 6 on Friday, scoring 14 of his 33 points then to get Detroit within 13.

But it was too late. The Pistons' season, one filled with regular season glory and postseason struggles, ended Friday amid more offensive troubles and a lackadaisical effort.

The 2005-06 season will go down as the one with 64 wins, four All-Star bids, lots of award winners, and no championship ring.

It will be the first time in three seasons that the Pistons won't play for the NBA title.

Instead, they will clean out their lockers and dispatch onto other projects. Summer workouts. Summer homes. Lots of summer what-ifs.

They'll have lots of time to figure out what happened in the last month, how a once well oiled, efficient offense crumbled into a mess in the playoffs, how sure offensive threats like Chauncey Billups, who was 3-for-14 from the field Friday, suddenly came up cold when it mattered most.

This time, it will be Detroit wondering what might have been had they stayed healthy, had Rasheed Wallace, who finished with 10 points Friday, not sprained his ankle.

And they'll question whether the Heat, with two dominating stars and a support cast that gelled at the perfect time, was simply better.

Can Miami win the NBA Finals? Bet on it at NINE Sportsbook - best NBA playoff odds.

Dallas - Phoenix, Game 6 is Personal Now.

2006-06-03T00:10:00.000-07:00

History, for once, the Dallas Mavericks have a chance to make it, not be it.

There's no question that the chance to make the NBA Finals for the first time in the franchise's 26 seasons is the most important thing to the Mavericks in Game 6 against former Maverick, Steve Nash, in the Valley of the Sun.

It would be a big-time achievement, hallowed-archive stuff. If the Mavs, leading the series, 3-2, could get it done on the Phoenix Suns' court, so much the better.

Especially with Dallas Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban, and Phoenix Suns head coach, Mike D'Antoni, are already JAWING at each other.

The NBA office has informed the Mavericks that it has reviewed a tape of an elbow thrown by Suns forward Shawn Marion during Game 5 and that no further action will be taken.

Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni wonders what compelled Mark Cuban to submit the tape. Cuban wonders why Suns owner Robert Saver was yelling at Mavericks president Terdema Ussery over the Mavericks' in-game presentation. Let the verbal elbows fly.

"You know, that is so far in outer space," D'Antoni said Friday before he learned of the league's ruling on Marion.

"Why you would even bother the league? They've got more important stuff to think about. That's almost like asking George Bush to worry about this patch in Idaho or something. Shawn Marion is really known to be an enforcer. I mean, he was being held up and he tried to get free. Did he end up hooking a little bit? Maybe. But my gosh, come on, grow up."

Cuban, on the other hand, pointed out in an e-mail response that the league reviews every game, so him pointing something out isn't a waste of time. He said when a player tells him he's elbowed in the jaw, he stands up for him just like he did when Steve Nash was in Dallas and "Karl Malone let him have it."

One thing's for sure, it's personal now. This Dallas Mavericks - Phoenix Suns series is not all about Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash, once teammates, facing each other. No. Now it's all about two teams with pure hate between them.

The Mavericks look to end the series in Game 6 and face Miami in the NBA Finals. Can these Texans do it against a Phoenix Suns team led by reigning MVP, Steve Nash? Bet on Bodog now.

Will Miami win Another Game over Detroit?

2006-06-01T18:53:00.000-07:00

Perhaps it was Detroit's desperation in these NBA Playoffs.

Desperation that turned Tayshaun Prince into the most effective offensive player on the floor Wednesday night.

Maybe it was the survival instinct that made Ben Wallace look like the league's Defensive Player of the Year for the first time in this series.

And perhaps it was the comfort of knowing it held a 3-1 lead in the series that turned the Heat into a group that could barely hit a free throw or an open jumper.

Whatever the reason, it all means Miami has one less chance to close out the Pistons after falling 91-78 at The Palace of Auburn Hills to narrow its series lead to 3-2.

Game 5 would have been an extra satisfying win for the Heat, which lost to the Pistons in Miami in Game 7 last season. But a Game 6 win now becomes nearly mandatory if the Heat is going to make its first trip to the NBA Finals.

''They came out like we knew they were going to come out, pressuring and playing with a lot of energy,'' said Dwyane Wade, who was 11 of 20 from the floor for 23 points in 45 minutes.

''We took the first couple punches and we still were there. But tonight they beat us to a lot of loose balls, a lot of tip-out rebounds at key times. Give them credit. They played hard. They played like a desperate team.''

The previous two close-out opportunities for the Heat this postseason were the team's best games, according to Wade. Yet the start of Wednesday's game resembled nothing of the sort.

Game 6 will be played in Miami, Florida and this could very well be the Heat's last chance to close out the resilient Pistons. However, knowing the Pistons, they won't let Miami control this best-of-seven Eastern Conference Finals series anymore. Expect the Pistons to win and force a pivotal Game 7.

The Detroit Pistons will win Game 6 and then wrap-up the series in Game 7 to advance to the NBA Finals. Think otherwise? Visit and bet on Bodog today.

Pistons Look to Tie Series, 2-2, in Miami

2006-05-29T01:02:00.000-07:00

The Pistons trail 2-1 in the Eastern Conference finals.

And that is the least of their worries.

What happened Saturday night, the Miami Heat's 98-83 deconstruction of the once-fearsome Pistons, was more than a loss. It was a showcase of the many reasons why this team may fall fantastically short of the championship expectations that have followed them into arenas for three years.

The defense was non-existent.

The Pistons are not playing their trademark defense. They are not scoring in the paint, to the tune of a 50-16 disadvantage there Saturday.

There may already be some signs that their model collectivism has cracked, along the walking fault line that is the talented, hard-to-figure Rasheed Wallace.

In what may either be a telling display of discord, or a simple act of frustration, Wallace brushed past Pistons coach Flip Saunders on his way to the bench after leaving the game in the first half.

Saunders appeared to extend his hand. Wallace did not shake it.

Later, after the Heat took an 11-point lead into the second half, Wallace found his stroke. He hit a three-point play to start the half. Then he nailed a 12-foot fadeaway. Then he buried a three-pointer. Suddenly, after hobbling on his ankle for over a week, he seemed himself again.

And then he disappeared.

''We need to let Rasheed go to work,'' said Antonio McDyess, who, somewhat ironically, was the one who replaced Wallace in the lineup. ''You don't go away from a guy who has the hot hand, like Rasheed.''

In Game 4, it could very well depend on Rasheed Wallace if the Detroit Pistons will either go home or fight for the NBA Championship for the third straight time on June. Miami is ready to bring on the heat, it will be up to Rasheed to lead the Pistons through it.

Can the Pistons win the pivotal best-of-seven Eastern Conference Finals series? Bet on it at NINE Sportsbook - best NBA playoff odds.

Big Bad Ben is Ready to Destroy Miami

2006-05-26T12:40:00.000-07:00

Ben Wallace, the preeminent Piston, was the only starter left in a quiet practice gym Thursday morning.

He was calm. He simply shot free throws, over and over, a repetition of the very act that has caused so much concern this post-season.

He looked confident. He looked good. He made more than 15 in a row. To say that Wallace was superb when the Pistons needed him most in these playoffs could very well be an understatement.

What he turned out to be is a genuine force on both ends of the floor against the Miami Heat.

Wallace, who will be a free agent at the end of the season, played on these playoffs with the possibility that this could be his final games as a Piston. He ensured that would not be the case.

His offense, though, was only part of the presence that enabled Detroit to be where they are nowIn these playoffs, only Tayshaun Prince, the metronomic forward, was the only Detroit player who seemed comfortable on the offensive end. And he was the lone Piston to score -- of any kind – consistently in the post-season.

He's turning out to be a player that the Palace of Auburn Hills can be proud of.

The Pistons will rely on something that can get them past the Miami Heat in the East Finals. A difference that will separate them from mediocrity. That difference could very well be Ben Wallace.

Can the Pistons win the pivotal best-of-seven Eastern Conference Finals series? Bet on it at NINE Sportsbook - best NBA playoff odds.

Mavericks Look to Even Series in Game 2

2006-05-26T11:49:00.000-07:00

The Dallas Mavericks already knew the Phoenix Suns were fast.

After watching Steve Nash, Shawn Marion and their running mates whizz past them in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals, the Mavs have a much better understanding of how quickly and relentlessly those guys race down the court.

''They got whatever they wanted,'' Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki said Thursday.

''They got like 100 points in transition,'' he added.

Actually, it was only 32, but it was still the most Dallas has allowed all season. And it was a major reason why Phoenix pulled out a 121-118 victory Wednesday night.

Any hopes the Mavericks had about the Suns' legs feeling heavy after having gone the distance in each of the first two rounds faded quickly.

Running as often on shots that went in as those that didn't, Phoenix scored 14 of its 35 first-quarter points on fast breaks.

By halftime, the Suns had 20 of their 62 points that way - and the Mavericks had a jarring reminder that they were no longer facing the San Antonio Spurs.

''You can talk about it all you want in a meeting or on the court, but it's difficult adjusting your game,'' Nowitzki said.

''We've just got to get it in our heads that you can never relax no matter what happens. If it's a foul, a made basket, a miss - wherever you are on the court, you have to get back,'' he added.

Dallas slowed Phoenix enough in the second half to take a nine-point lead with 3:43 left. Had the Mavs not committed four turnovers in the last 77 seconds or if Boris Diaw had missed a turnaround jumper with 0.5 seconds left, they would've withstood the Suns' open-court blitz.

The Mavericks look to tie the series in Game 2. Can these Texans do it against a Phoenix Suns team led by reigning MVP, Steve Nash? Bet on Bodog now.

Spurs Spurt

2006-05-23T23:59:00.000-07:00

The San Antonio Spurs' locker room was dark.

Dark except for a few lights from TV cameras. Teammates were still heading to the post-game podium to talk to the media. And Robert Horry, already dressed, was leaving.

A year ago he'd taken a Manu Ginobili pass in Detroit, and he changed the seasons of two teams. This time Horry waited in the corner, open again, when Ginobili drove at the end of regulation.

Championships are decided by these moments. The 2006 championship may have been, too, albeit in the second round. And Horry summed it up with a soft laugh and a line.

''The lucky team won,'' he said.

I wouldn't put it that way...

His teammates put it differently but with similar perspective. The Spurs lost two overtime games in this series, as well a one-point game in Dallas when Tim Duncan fouled out. How much luck would have been required for the Spurs to be the ones celebrating in Texas today?

Not much.

And this idea will comfort the Spurs, as well as those accustomed to seeing these guys play in June. But the Spurs will have to accept something else, too, and that is how this series was lost.

The Spurs didn't defend a title for a third time, yet this one was different. This time there were no injuries, as there were in 2000. This time there was no Derek Fisher and 0.4, when luck really was part of the equation in 2004.

This time, too, came with no excuses. There were no refs to blame, nor were there travel issues to complain about. Instead, there was a champion, sent home rather abruptly and a new NBA Champion waiting to be crowned in June.

The Dallas Mavericks will look for nothing less than a championship this year. Can Dirk Nowitzki lead this team all the way to the promise land? Visit and bet on Bodog today.

Pistons - Heat, the Big Boys Finally Meet

2006-05-23T02:44:00.000-07:00

So many times, preseason predictions in the NBA turn out to be bunk.

Not this time.

All season, the Pistons and the Miami Heat seemed destined for a rematch in the Eastern Conference finals. And Game 1 at the Palace will make destiny a reality, and it's something the players admit they'd hoped for all along.

''Oh, I definitely wanted this series,'' point guard Chauncey Billups said.

''I think they're the other best team in the Eastern Conference. And when you're the best, you want to play against the other teams that are supposed to be the best. That's what the playoffs are all about,'' he added.

Last season, the Pistons and the Heat forced a winner-take-all Game 7 in Miami. And for much of that game, the Heat led. But in the final quarter, Rasheed Wallace made big plays and Billups hit four free throws late in the game, icing an 88-82 win that ended the Heat's NBA Finals bid.

Since then, the only real constants in South Beach have been superstars Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal. Stan Van Gundy is gone as head coach, replaced in December by president Pat Riley, who spent the summer upending his roster despite its relative success.

He brought in Antoine Walker and Gary Payton. He courted Michael Finley, only to see the veteran guard go to San Antonio. And he parted ways with key players Eddie Jones and Damon Jones.

Now, the Heat is the same team wearing a different costume. The same two dominant players, Wade and O'Neal, run the show. But the supporting cast and the director have changed.

The Heat says this year's series is not about getting revenge for last season.

''They beat us last year,'' O'Neal said, ''but we are not worried about just beating the people that beat us. We want to win the whole thing and whoever is in our way, that is who we want to try to beat. So it's not really revenge. We know we have to go through them and they have to go through us.''

Can the Pistons win the pivotal best-of-seven Eastern Conference Finals series? Bet on it at NINE Sportsbook - best NBA playoff odds.

Mavericks and Spurs in a Game 7 in Texas

2006-05-22T02:04:00.000-07:00

It would have been great for the Dallas Mavericks to sew up this series quickly.

But NO, they had to drop two games in a row to give the San Antonio Spurs a chance. Now, the Mavericks are looking at a tied 3-3 series as they face elimination away from home.

It's high anxiety in Dallas as fans have watched the Mavericks cough up a 3-1 series lead against the defending world champions. Through all the sky-is-falling stuff, however, it should not be forgotten just how special this best-of-7 match has been.

Game 7 makes this a super series. The competitive nature of the teams makes it even better. These kind only come around once every decade or so.

By at least one barometer, you have to go back to the NBA Finals of 1998 to find a more competitive series.

The Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs have played five games decided by five points or fewer. The last time that happened, the Chicago Bulls and Utah Jazz were playing for the NBA title, with the Bulls winning 4-2. The margins in those games: 3 in overtime, 5, 42, 4, 2 and 1.

In this series: 2, 22, 1, 5 in overtime, 1 and 5.

Yes, there have been other hotly contested series since '98. Sacramento and the Los Angeles Lakers had a blood-boiler in 2002 that featured six games decided by seven points or fewer. And in 2000, New York and Miami decided all seven of their games by no more than eight points.

But if your criteria for a classic NBA series are ultra-close games and that it goes the distance, this is your brand of ball.

''It's a huge game,'' said Dirk Nowitzki, who has averaged 25.5 points and 13 rebounds in the series. ''It's win or go home. I don't think we're ready to go home.''

Well, if the Dallas Mavericks are not careful, they might. The San Antonio Spurs is a team you can't give any glimmer of hope. The Mavericks gave them, not once, but TWICE.

[Sports Interaction is one of the very best when it comes to delivering the very best odds for online betting. Visit and bet on Sports Interaction now.]

The Heat is On as Miami Advances

2006-05-17T02:04:00.000-07:00

The Miami Heat rallied.

From an early 12-point deficit, and after dropping Game 1 of this best-of-seven series, Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade led the Heat to post a 4-1 series win. Miami has now recovered from recent adversity.

''Now look at us,'' Dwyane Wade said.

After making the game-clinching defensive play, Dwyane Wade flung the ball deep in the stands, and with it went the baggage, criticism and question marks that littered the road to the Eastern Conference finals.

The Heat beat the Nets 106-105 to close out the Eastern semifinals 4-1, getting 23 points from Antoine Walker and 21 points, six assists and six rebounds from Wade. Now Miami finds itself in the same position as last year, with one opponent standing between itself and the NBA Finals.

''We've won eight games, we want to win 16,'' Heat coach Pat Riley said.

''We're very fortunate to get by the Nets. They're a great team and we did what we had to do on the road to win after coming back from that horrendous start in Game 1. Our team is beginning to become buoyant. They're feeling good about themselves,'' Riley added.

It wasn't until the final seconds ticked off the clock, however, that those good feelings could officially continue. The Nets' perimeter trio of Jason Kidd, Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter had combined for 86 points, keeping New Jersey in the game until the final second.

After the Nets forced the Heat into a missed shot in its final possession leading by a point, Jefferson recovered the loose ball and called a timeout with 1.4 seconds left.

In the Heat huddle before the final play, Wade asked to defend Carter, New Jersey's No. 1 option, on the play. After a frustrating 7-of-19 offensive showing with seven turnovers, Wade came up with the play on the defensive end to finally stop what has become utter Vinsanity.

The Miami Heat now awaits the winner of the Detroit Pistons - Cleveland Cavaliers series. Can the Heat make it all the way to the NBA Finals? Visit and bet on Bodog today.

Detroit is now 3-1 in Guaran-Sheed Games

2006-05-16T00:40:00.000-07:00

Did the Detroit Pistons underestimated the Cleveland Cavaliers in Games 3 and 4?

While reporters crowded Flip Saunders for an interview, Maurice Evans chased Rasheed Wallace around the huddle like two grade-schoolers, looking for an open shot at payback.

That was after 'Sheed engaged in an impromptu game of dodge ball, wrapping his mitts around a basketball and delivering some Joel Zumaya-like smoke square in Evans' back.

That demanded retaliation.

''They were doing this during the regular season,'' said Pistons head coach Flip Saunders, sounding like a father tired of telling his kids to cut out the roughhouse.

Did anybody think Rasheed Wallace would back down one inch Sunday from his post-Game 3 declaration that the Pistons would win the next two games from Cleveland and finish this Eastern Conference semifinal in five games? He reiterated that the Pistons ''would bust (the Cavs') ass'' in Game 4 at ''the Q.''

You would think such comments would tighten a team, but it has the opposite effect on the Pistons.

The result? Pistons found themselves suffering their first loss in four ''Guaran-Sheed games'' and tied with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, 2-2.

If Detroit is not careful, they can very well find themselves on the brink of elimination in Game 6, in Cleveland, where LeBron James might just make his OWN guarantee.

The Detroit Pistons better get their act together soon. They are STILL the heavy favorites in this series but if they are not careful, the Cleveland Cavaliers might just sneak up from behind in Game 5 and go back home with a chance to end the Pistons' season.

Can the Pistons win the pivotal Game 5 and end the Cavaliers' season in Cleveland for Game 6? Visit and bet on NINE.com now.

The NBA Champs, in Trouble Against Dallas

2006-05-15T01:36:00.000-07:00

In these NBA Playoffs, you may win an emotional game today, next game, you get your heart ripped out.

That is what these 2006 NBA Playoffs has become. And that is what the defending NBA Champions, San Antonio Spurs, realized.

Everybody starts talking about what changes should be made before training camp opens. Then you look up, and the other team is on the brink of sending your team to an early summer.

''It's like that every year,'' San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. ''Honestly. Every year, every round. Even the Finals last year. We won the first two, and it was like Detroit couldn't play. The Spurs were a dynasty.''

''Then after the next two games, we were the most worthless people that ever lived, the players should be traded and the coach should be fired,'' he added.

Even Sunday, when the Spurs were wiping away the disappointment of their Game 3 loss Saturday night, Popovich joked about the feeling. When a couple of reporters were chatting with general manager R.C. Buford, Popovich wondered what was going on.

It was a faux news conference, he was told.

''What, have I been fired already, or do I have to lose one more game?'' he joked.

That's how precarious a closely contested NBA playoff series is. And it will happen again if the Mavericks can push, just enough, to bring the defending NBA champions to the brink of extinction.

''I guess that's why it's a seven-game series,''' said Michael Finley, who was on the Mavericks' side for all those years, but now finds himself playing against his former teammates in Dallas in an emotional seven-game playoff series.

''In college, if you have a great game that night, you can go on and be a national champion. But in the NBA, it's a series. And usually, the better team wins in that series,'' Michael Finley said.

''Even though you may think things are going your way for a game, it can easily change the next game. It's the team that remains mentally consistent that overrides that,'' Finley added.

The San Antonio Spurs are hoping that they will be the ones who'll be mentally consistent throughout this best-of-seven series against the Dallas Mavericks. If these Spurs are not careful, they can very well see their NBA title slip away as early as round two.

[Sports Interaction has the best odds on these intriguing NBA Playoffs. Can Michael Finley rally his new team, the San Antonio Spurs, against his former team, the Dallas Mavericks? Visit and bet on Sports Interaction now.]

Clippers will try Outgun Suns Again to Even Series 2-2

2006-05-11T19:18:00.000-07:00

The Clippers won a playoff game because they outscored their opponent.

Trying to outscore the Suns makes as much sense as trying to outdrive Tiger Woods or outpunch Manny Pacquiao. But the Clippers thought outside the box. They didn't try to play in slow motion, drag the score down to the pre-shot clock era.

They beat an offensive powerhouse with offensive efficiency. They outslugged the slugger, putting up the type of numbers the Suns are used to posting in a 122-97 victory Wednesday that evened this series at a game apiece.''We can score and they can score,'' Cuttino Mobley said.

''We just wanted to pound it inside as much as possible. It worked out for us tonight,'' he added.

The Clippers did it with variety, with balance, even some daring and a little bit of fortune and probability swinging their way.This series will be about offense.

The Clippers can initiate their defense by playing smart offense. The Clippers cut their turnovers from 15 in Game 1 to 12 in Game 2, having only seven through the first three quarters. They emphasized the inside game, outscoring the Suns, 58-36, in the paint.

Yes, the Clippers played smarter defense, did a better job of staying in front of their men. The Suns were held under 100 points for the fourth time in the playoffs, all Phoenix losses. That's what the Clippers' coach and players raved about afterward.

The Suns won Game 3 to take a 2-1 series lead over this OTHER team from the Staples Center. Game 4 will definitely be critical for Sam Cassell and Elton Brand as they try to bring this series down to a best-of-three.

[NINE.com has the best odds on these intriguing NBA Playoffs. Can the Los Angeles Clippers finally brand their franchise opposite mediocrity? Visit and bet on NINE.com now.]

Pistons will End Cleveland's False Hope

2006-05-11T19:02:00.000-07:00

The Pistons just gave the Cavaliers false hope in Game 2.

After the Pistons allowed Cleveland to dig out of a 22-point hole and get within five in Tuesday night's game, reporters asked coach Flip Saunders whether he worried the Cavaliers had found a boost of confidence at the perfect time.

Saunders pointed out the Pistons are up, 2-0, and that no one will remember the score. But the Cavaliers will certainly remember.

They will remember the way they suddenly found openings for LeBron James to attack the defense and forced the Pistons' offense into outside shots in the second half. If they needed some confidence after getting chewed up and spit out through the first seven quarters, they likely found it in the eighth.

The Pistons believe that might be false hope.

''I think they went away with a little confidence,'' Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups said.

''But I don't think it was what they did, I think it was what we didn't do. We got a little undisciplined in our schemes and the things we talked about and did for seven straight quarters. I think it came so easy for us that we got a little complacent,'' Billups admits.

No doubt, the Cavaliers will try in Game 3 to pick up where they left off and be more aggressive offensively. Their defense will continue to try to force Pistons' misses that can be turned into transition points.

However, don't expect the Pistons to let that happen anytime soon.

[Bodog has the odds on these intriguing NBA Playoffs. Can Chauncey Billups and the rest of the Detroit Pistons take back the NBA title from the San Antonio Spurs? Visit and bet on Bodog now.]

Last Chance for Pat Riley and 'Zo Mourning?

2006-05-11T00:09:00.000-07:00

Pat Riley is lucky in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Throughout his career as an NBA head coach, Pat Riley has been lucky enough to get the best giants of the NBA.

Back in New York, he had a seven-foot Patrick Ewing who can shoot the jumper consistently and attack the rim with a combination of power and elegance. Then he moved on until he got to Miami, Florida.

In Miami, Pat Riley had a 6'10'' powerhouse in Alonzo Mourning who can also attack the rim, the only difference was, this guy can attack the rim like Patrick Ewing on steroids.

Mourning's sheer power then was unstoppable. And aside from having that advantage, Pat Riley also had Tim Hardaway to control the offense, giving him the pleasure of having one of the most explosive tandems in that era.

Now, Pat Riley got his 6'10'' powerhouse back, but this time, he also has this seven-foot monster twice as big as Ewing and twice as strong as 'Zo.

Shaquille O'Neal.

Shaquille O'Neal believed from the start that it would be he and Pat Riley chasing the championship together.

From the beginning, on the shores of glistening Biscayne Bay, Shaq called him ''Coach,'' a bond born out of his respect for Riles' stature. Shaq, the son of a U.S. Army sergeant, has always been rooted in reverence for the authoritative figures in his life. No, Stan Van Gundy never stood a chance.

It's almost as of Pat Riley and Shaq were destined to be together fighting for one same cause. Yes, I guess one can also say that pat Riley is DESTINED to coach the biggest of the big and the strongest of the strong.

However, time is running out for THIS tower of Pat Riley's as Shaq is now 34 years old. Pat Riley and Alonzo Mourning NEVER won an NBA championship yet, can they finally have one with Shaquille O'Neal trying to squeeze out all the remaining diesel from his 340-pound tank?

It may all depend on someone outside that three-man equation. Someone who goes by the name of Dwyane...

[Bodog has the odds on these intriguing NBA Playoffs. Can Pat Riley and Alonzo Mourning finally win the NBA title together with a seven-foot Shaquille O'Neal? Visit and bet on Bodog now.]

End of the Line for Rick Adelman?

2006-05-10T20:07:00.000-07:00

The Sacramento Kings won't renew Rick Adelman's contract.

Apparently, after breaking up the Kings' court, if you will, of Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, Peja Stoijakovic and Bobby Jackson, the Kings President of basketball Operations Geoff Petrie and Kings coach Rick Adelman, agreed not to prolong their relationship for the 2006-2007 sason.

Adelman had this coming.

But must the Kings give up on the NBA head coach who won more than 750 games?

This move from the Kings could very well be debatable, as were their moves when they got rid of former Kings' starters except Mike Bibby. (Who also were the replacement for former King, Jason Williams.)

Before he coached, Rick Adelman first played in the NBA for the Portland Trailblazers in 1970. As a player he had an average career.

But he's made a name for himself as a coach.

He became head coach of the Trailblazers in the late 80's. Adelman then took the Trailblazers to the playoffs six seasons in a row. Twice they made it to the NBA finals. After leaving Portland, he coached the Warriors for two losing seasons.

His next stop was in Sacramento where Adelman became the most successful coach in Sacramento Kings history. He won 395 games in eight seasons as the Kings coach.

He guided the Sacramento Kings to the playoffs eight years in a row.

Bodog has the odds on every match-up in these NBA Playoffs. Log on and visit Bodog now.

Vince Carter can put Miami's Heat on Ice

2006-05-09T00:54:00.000-07:00

Dubbed as ''Wince'' back in Toronto, Vince Carter is making quite a name for himself in the NBA Playoffs.

They call him ''Vinsanity,'' another shoe company once called him ''Dr. Funk.'' Well, after a season of turmoil in Toronto, all of those accolades suddenly disappeared and all that was left was a man reduced to a shell of his former self.

Many questioned his heart and toughness, tossing aside the notion that he could be a legitimate elite player in this league. Whoever that guy was, he must have been another Vince Carter. The one who was traded to the Nets Dec. 17, 2004, has been nothing short of a franchise-saving superstar who completely transformed his game.

He's more than just a point-scoring, highlight-reel machine.

On any night, he can control the boards on both ends or pile up the assists. He's not just a one-on-one player and runs about half the Nets offense, taking the pressure off point guard Jason Kidd and turning him into the team's fourth option.

At 29, Carter's game is still evolving. If anyone has experienced his revamped attack first hand, it's the Miami Heat.

Carter has been somewhat a firefighter whenever his Nets take on the Heat this season. The fire extinguisher, if you will.

Vince Carter single-handedly ended a 10-game losing streak against Miami, averaging 38.5 points, 5.5 assists and 7.3 rebounds to lead the Nets to three victories in four meetings.

He also matched his career high, scoring 51 points to help lead the Nets to a 95-88 win Dec. 23, 2005, the Nets' first victory at American Airlines Arena since January 2003.

In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals between the New Jersey Nets and the Miami Heat, Vince Carter dropped a game-high 27 points to steal homecourt advantage away from Miami. If this is a trend of things to come in this best-of-seven series, VC will rekindle his career's fire and put out the flame of Miami's Heat.

[NINE.com has the best odds on the NBA Playoffs. Can Vince Carter lead the New Jersey Nets over the Miami Heat? Hurry and bet on NINE.com now.]

It's Academic. Big Ben is NBA's Top Defense

2006-05-08T01:30:00.000-07:00

Ben Wallace. NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

Everybody expected that frame of thought since Big Ben got out of Orlando.

For the fourth time in five years, Wallace, the Pistons' defensive specialist, has earned the honor. He will be presented with the award before Tuesday night's game against Cleveland at The Palace.

Wallace and Dikembe Mutombo are now the only two players in NBA history to win the award four times.

Wallace, who has known about the honor for several days, tried to look surprised about the news when asked by reporters following the Pistons' 113-86 destruction of the Cavaliers in the first game of their second round best-of-seven series.

''That means a lot, if that's what it is. You sure about that? Don't get me excited about nothing, now,'' Ben Wallace jokes.

''You know, that's where my pride and joy is at, on the defensive end, being able to get stops, being able to come up with the basketball to help my team win,'' Wallace added.

Wallace had 11 rebounds and a game-high four blocked shots against the Cavaliers in Game 1.

The Pistons' other Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, became animated and extremely vocal in his mock surprise when asked about Wallace's fourth Defensive Player of the Year award.

''They gave that to him again?'' Rasheed Wallace said, loud enough so that Ben Wallace could hear as he exited the locker room.

''Ah, dog, that's felonious. It's felonious. Fe-lone-e-us. He was not even in my top three. Honestly, they only gave it to him because we the Pistons,'' 'Sheed jokes.

Of course, Rasheed Wallace could not refrain from real praise for his teammate.

''No, that says a lot,'' said Rasheed, who had 10 points and seven rebounds. ''That's a damn good accolade to have. That's going to be some spotlight in his trophy case when he retires. He's got the belt and the rings and the defensive trophy.''

[Defense won't get you anywhere with Bodog. You have to be brave enough to defy the odds and win. If you have what it takes, log on and bet on Bodog now.]

Steve Nash Named MVP for Second Time

2006-05-08T00:49:00.000-07:00

Steve Nash did it again.

The NBA's Canadian Phenom ran away with his second consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player award. The maestro of the fast and furious Phoenix Suns, beat runner-up LeBron James of Cleveland by a comfortable margin in results announced Sunday.

He is the ninth player to win consecutive MVP trophies and joins Magic Johnson as the only point guards to win the award more than once.

''I have to pinch myself,'' Nash said.

''I can't believe that I'm standing here today. I couldn't believe it last year, and to do it again is even more difficult to understand, but I'm not going to give it back,'' he added.

The Suns point guard received 57 first-place votes and 924 points overall from a panel of 125 sports writers and broadcasters in the United States and Canada.

James had 16 first-place votes and 688 points overall. But at 21, though, James knows he will have many more opportunities.

''It would have been nice of course to put another trophy in my house, in my showcase,'' LeBron James said from Auburn Hills before the Cavaliers were dominated by the Detroit Pistons in Game 1.

''But it's something I'm going to keep working hard for. I can't dwell on not being named MVP,'' he added.

Nash's close friend Dirk Nowitzki of Dallas was third with 14 first-place ballots and 544 overall. Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers had the second-most votes for first place (22), but was fourth overall with 483 points.

The 32-year-old Nash is the 11th player to win the MVP award more than once.

Nash praised his teammates and coaching staff for a perfect environment for him to succeed and for their team to succeed, and for him to stand there that day.

Last season, he directed the Suns to an NBA-best 62 victories. This year, the Suns lost Amare Stoudemire to injury and traded Joe Johnson and Quentin Richardson. Yet they still won 54 games and a second straight Pacific Division title.

This season, Nash had career highs in scoring (18.8 points), rebounding (4.2), field goal percentage (.512) and free throw percentage (a league-leading .921). He led the league in assists at 10.5 a game and finished sixth in 3-point percentage at 43.9.

[NINE.com has the odds on the NBA Playoffs. Can this year's reigning MVP, Steve Nash, lead the Suns to the championship? Log on and bet on NINE.com now.]

Pistons Mutilated Second NBA Playoffs Prey

2006-05-07T18:54:00.000-07:00

Pistons drew first blood in Game 1 in emphatic fashion.

Detroit's playoff assassin, Tayshaun Prince, dropped 24 points, Rip Hamilton chimed in with 20 and Chauncey Billups came up with a solid double-double performance of 14 points and 10 assists.

To say that the Pistons were unstoppable in Game 1 could very well be an understatement.

This series was deemed as a NO CONTEST right from the get-go. The Pistons have three more wins to go before they move on to face either the Miami Heat or the New Jersey Nets in the Eastern Conference Finals and here are some of the reasons why the Pistons will do just that.

Rasheed Wallace scored 19 points per game against the Cavaliers this season, about four above his season average. And he's increased his production in the playoffs.

With his ability to shoot from the outside, he can spread the defense and open up things for everyone, especially if the Pistons establish his inside game early on. Drew Gooden shouldn't be much of a problem for the Pistons. Although he has the physical tools, he doesn't always put them to great use.

Richard Hamilton has had a few extra days to recuperate from a tough first round, during which he sprained his left ankle and sustained a deep thigh bruise. But really, the 40-point performance in Game 5 was evidence that Hamilton's game is back on track, rest or no rest.

Cavs shooting guard Larry Hughes played in only 36 games this season with a thumb injury. He hasn't been as consistent an offensive threat as the Cavaliers would like, averaging 12.3 points in the postseason.

Chauncey Billups continued to do in the first round what he's done all season -- he dictated the flow of the game, he exploited mismatches, he got the ball to the hot hand, and when he had to, he took over and hit big shots. As Charlie Bell said at the end of the first round, ''he's my MVP.''

Need I say more? The Detroit Pistons showed in Game 1 why they will dispatch these Cavaliers from Cleveland rather quicker than what they did to the Bucks. Bucks had three guys doing the scoring load compared to the Cavaliers who rely heavily on one guy alone. No.23.

[Bodog has the odds on every match-up in these NBA Playoffs. Log on and bet on Bodog now.]

Who's Next for Hamilton and the Pistons?

2006-05-05T01:55:00.000-07:00

The Detroit Pistons, as good as they are, do not have a legitimate go-to-guy.

The Pistons don't need one guy beating you, and they would prefer that such responsibilities never fall upon a single individual. But they unleashed another dimension in their Game 5 clincher Wednesday, the lone unstoppable force.

Richard Hamilton.

''It might turn a few heads if people see somebody on our team scoring 40,'' said Lindsey Hunter. ''That's not what we're usually about. But he did it all within the flow of our offense, which feeds off our defense. It makes it fun, doesn't it?''

It makes them even scarier.

''Well, that's fun, too,'' Hunter answered.

Winning remains the best payback. Hamilton was hobbled with a sore ankle, an achy thigh and a missing-in-action shooting stroke. He was playing tentatively.

Trainer Arnie Kander loosened the tape on his ankle and removed the protective patch from his thigh. The objective, Just let 'er Rip.

''He said he didn't want to have me restrained,'' Hamilton said. ''He wanted me to just go out there and play and don't worry about it and just have confidence in it. I think that really gave me a whole lot of confidence for me to go out there and make plays and make moves and do stuff that I was usually doing.''

Those unexplainable nights come when the rim assumes the size of the Grand Canyon and everything drops. But the Pistons aren't a scorer's team. They like their shots evened out, creating the necessary balance that precludes opponents from concentrating their defensive efforts on one person.

But it doesn't hurt for the next Eastern Conference victim to know that Piston poison can be administered lethally from a single source.

''Rip was great,'' said Chauncey Billups. ''He got it cooking early and once he had it cooking, everybody else kind of fell back, and we got him the ball where he needed it.''

Chauncey adds, ''I told him, 'Welcome back.''

Bodog has the odds on every match-up in these NBA Playoffs. Log on and bet on Bodog now.

Miami will put on the Heat against the Nets

2006-05-05T01:48:00.000-07:00

This first round best-of-seven series between the Heat and the Bulls was a series of pure emotion.

We had seen plenty of emotion in this basketball series, but it was always the wrong kind. One Miami player angrily hurling his mouthpiece toward a referee. Another Miami player tackling a Chicago Bull with a dirty, frustrated shoulder. Two other Miami teammates screaming curses at each other in a very public way. The rage gurgled in a way that everyone kept getting scalded.

So when Shaquille O'Neal threw a perfect pass to Gary Payton under the basket in Thursday's first quarter, and Payton fumbled the easy points clumsily out of bounds, the look that swept across O'Neal's face was not what you might have expected.

A smile. It had been too long since we had seen one of those.

Miami ended Chicago's season and breathed joyous life into its own with a 113-96 blowout here in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

The assignment gets more difficult from here, the Heat advancing to meet the New Jersey Nets of Jason Kidd and Vince Carter in a second-round series that begins next week, but it was nice to see the Heat realize that these are games and games are supposed to be fun.

So there was Payton, ripped nationally for getting into an argument with beloved Dwyane Wade during Game 4, going around and hugging each of his teammates just before tip-off, Wade included.

And there were Jason Williams and Alonzo Mourning and Antoine Walker, all on the bench, getting up and thundering onto the court with child-like enthusiasm during play to applaud another basket that silenced Chicago's upset-minded crowd.

A fist does not relax well, but Miami seemed to on Thursday. And the poor Bulls had to feel, as wave after wave hit them, like they were trying to keep back the ocean with their bare hands. Miami took joy in administering the beating.

''We figured it out,'' Payton said afterward. ''Be carefree. We had a meeting about it in the morning. Too many mean faces in here. We weren't even smiling when we were winning. We were a little bit tense, listening to the criticism. You are supposed to enjoy this. We love this game. So we played.''

[Shaquille O’Neal and the rest of the Miami Heat are finding life in the post-season a little too difficult than expected. Can Miami get it together just in time for the New Jersey Nets? Bet on NINE.com today.]

Nets Take 3-2 Series Lead Over Pacers

2006-05-03T02:19:00.000-07:00

The Indiana Pacers are on the brink of elimination.

The shot clock was winding down as New Jersey's Vince Carter palmed the ball with Indiana rookie Danny Granger defending, while the Pacers stood in front of their bench.

Carter blew by Granger with one dribble while Jermaine O'Neal slid over to try to take a charge. The acrobatic Carter, who had five fouls, avoided O'Neal and dunked the ball with his left hand.

The ball hit the net with 28.9 seconds remaining in the game to give the Nets a five-point lead.

Many of the Pacers stood along the sideline in disbelief, knowing they are on the brink of having their season end as early as Thursday. The short-handed Pacers stayed within striking distance, but they had too many breakdowns in their 92-86 loss to the Nets on Tuesday.

The Nets lead the best-of-seven series 3-2 and can eliminate the Pacers by winning Game 6 at Conseco Fieldhouse on Thursday night.

''Right now, it's win or go home for us,'' O'Neal said. ''We feel like we can win in our building and push it to a one-game series. That's where our mind frame is right now.''

The Pacers might have had a chance to tie the score with a defensive stop on Carter, who finished with 34 points. They were surprised at how badly Granger got beat off the dribble.

''We didn't think Danny was going to give it up that easy,'' Pacers shooting guard Stephen Jackson said.

''It was just a straight line drive and we'd rather him take a jump shot. A situation like that, when he has the ball at the end of the game, you know he's going to shoot it. We just didn't play the proper defense on him. I wish I was guarding him. I probably would have made it a little tougher.''

The Pacers played Tuesday without three key players; Peja Stojakovic, Jeff Foster and Jamaal Tinsley. Now it's a matter of whether the Pacers have anything left to keep their season alive for at least one more game.

Bodog has the odds on every match-up in these NBA Playoffs. Log on and visit Bodog now.

Denver Nuggets: Eliminated from the NBA Playoffs

2006-05-01T22:50:00.000-07:00

The Denver Nuggets were eliminated by the Los Angeles Clippers in five games.

It's hard to gauge which was greater: the Nuggets' drop in optimism from the start of the season to the playoffs, or the drop from the start of their first-round series with the Los Angeles Clippers to the quick-arriving end.

The Clippers rubber-stamped Denver's early exit from the playoffs Monday night with a 101-83 victory at the Staples Center, clinching the series 4-1 and barely seeming to sweat most of the way.

''The whole series was kind of an embarrassing moment," Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony said. "They didn't just beat us by two or three points in the games that they won. They beat us by like 20. That's embarrassing.''

''I think they played a more team game than we did. Hopefully my teammates take what they did as an insult.''

While the Clippers await either the city rival Lakers or Phoenix, the Nuggets face a summer full of questions, starting with whether general manager Kiki Vandeweghe returns.

Owner Stan Kroenke would not address Vandeweghe's situation or anything else, but when asked if this season was a disappointment, he replied, ''Obviously.''

Also up in the air is whether they keep disgruntled forward Kenyon Martin, who did not make the trip for the third game of what turned out to be a season-ending team suspension for his outburst at coach George Karl at halftime of Game 2.

''Anytime you have coaches versus players, people are going to take sides,'' said Anthony, who finished with 23 points. ''Some people took George's side. Some people took K-Mart's side. The decision was made.''

''I would have said let him play, but I didn't have nothing to do with that.''

The Nuggets appeared to end their season without a fraction of the confidence they entered it with, losing eight of their last nine after clinching the Northwest Division, the NBA's weakest.

Bodog has the odds on every match-up in these NBA Playoffs. Log on and visit Bodog now.

Denver Nuggets Suspend Kenyon Martin

2006-04-26T23:29:00.000-07:00

Don't mess with the coaches of the NBA. Especially if you're an NBA player on the brink of destroying your career.

Yes, NBA players should know better.

This premise was already proven back when Latrell Sprewell tried to choke P.J. Carlesimo in Golden State and when Allen Iverson and Larry Brown were having their problems in Philadelphia.

This year, it was proven yet again when Brian Hill had his problems with Steve Francis in Orlando, and Larry Brown again having problems with another point guard wearing a no.3 jersey, this time in Stephon Marbury.

In this year's NBA Playoffs, the trend continued, and this time it's in Denver, Colorado. Nuggets head coach George Karl suspended Kenyon Martin after the two exchanged words last Monday in their 98-87 loss to the red-hot Los Angeles Clippers.

Martin and Karl exchanged words during halftime Monday night, after which Martin took several minutes to join his teammates on the bench and then sat with a towel over his head for the remainder of the game.

''I do give Kenyon some understanding that he's going through a tough year,'' Nuggets head coach George Karl said.

''I know he's very frustrated. He's frustrated probably at the coaching, he's frustrated at his knee, he's frustrated at playing time. That's all part of basketball, but his actions were not team-worthy and weren't respectful to the game,'' Karl added.

George Karl had his problems with his players before. Back in Seattle, he had his issues with point guard Gary Payton but they mended their differences soon after.

To be successful in any sport, one must be a team player and must learn to trust one another. In the NBA, it's no different. Dissension will only be detrimental to any team's success, we all saw that when L.A. had these four awesome talents in one roof.

Bodog has the odds on every match-up in these NBA Playoffs. Log on and visit Bodog now.

Clippers Held Serve, Looking for 3-0 Lead.

2006-04-26T22:29:00.000-07:00

The Los Angeles Clippers did what they were supposed to do at home. Now comes the tough part, winning on the road in the NBA Playoffs.

The Clippers lead the Nuggets 2-0 in a best-of-seven, first- round playoff series after winning the first two games in front of their red, white and blue crowd at the Staples Center. But they know the scenario changes dramatically in Denver's altitude, in a boisterous arena, with Games 3 and 4 at the Pepsi Center.

''The series doesn't start until you win an away game,'' Clippers point guard Sam Cassell, a 13-year NBA veteran, said after practice Tuesday at the Spectrum Club.

''In all my years playing in the playoffs, once you win an away game, that's when you say you have the advantage. Right now, we just held serve. We had home-court advantage and took care of our business.''

Of the 186 NBA playoff series in which teams have taken 2-0 leads since the 16-team playoff format started, the leading team won 176. Denver has started 0-2 in nine playoff series and has won only one.

The Clippers have other reasons to be confident. They are 5-1 against the Nuggets this season, including a 105-87 rout in their last trip to the Pepsi Center on Jan. 27.

''We know we can beat this team,'' Clippers forward Corey Maggette said. Maggette was out most of the regular season for the Clippers but is now back, ready to lead the Clippers past the first round and a possible confrontation with either the Suns or that other L.A. team at the Staples Center.

The Clippers are concerned about playing at altitude.

''We want to get in there and make sure we settle in and acclimate a little bit,'' Clippers head coach, Mike Dunleavy said.

Cassell is expecting a wild crowd similar to what he faced while playing for Minnesota against the Nuggets in the 2004 playoffs. Trailing 0-2 in the series, the Nuggets came home and won big in Game 3, 107-86. The Timberwolves responded in Game 4 with a dramatic 84-82 victory in Denver, then won Game 5 in Minneapolis.

This best-of-seven series in the Western Conference sure is on as the NBA Playoffs heats up.

Bodog has the odds on every match-up in these NBA Playoffs. Log on and visit Bodog now.

Detroit: 15 Wins Away from NBA Title

2006-04-24T20:27:00.000-07:00

The last time Detroit met Milwaukee in the first round, the Pistons became the 2004 NBA Champions.

An omen? Yes, it is exactly that.

In Game 1, the Pistons showed the heart of a champion as they countered a late rally by those pesky Bucks in the third quarter to come away with a convincing 92-74 win at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

And the Pistons were able to do just that despite of Richard Hamilton going down what seems like a serious ankle injury.

Rasheed Wallace led the Pistons with a game-high, 22 points, in 4-of-6 shooting from three-point range.

I've been a fan of ''The Sheed'' long enough to know that his versatility is as good as the Kevin Garnett's of the league. It's just that his awesome game has been overshadowed by suspensions and technical fouls.

Richard Hamilton followed ''The Sheed'' as he dropped 21 points, despite an ankle injury.

Hamilton stepped on Andrew Bogut's foot and fell down rather awkwardly on the hardwood.

After the game, Rip was asked if he will be available for Game 2 and his resounding response was, ''Yes sir.''

It is hard to minimize Hamilton's effect on the Pistons. The All-Star shooting guard disrupts defenses by scooting around screens to create open shots for himself and his teammates. In 66 career playoff games, he has scored at least 20 points 51 times.

Don't know where to bet? Bodog is the answer. Bodog has the odds on every match-up in these NBA Playoffs. Log on and visit Bodog now. Oh yes, don't forget to bet on the Pistons.

The NBA Playoffs saw Two Opposite Stories

2006-04-23T21:08:00.000-07:00

One of Shaq's teammates won while his ex-teammate lost after Game 1 in the NBA Playoffs.

The NBA Playoffs finally got underway as 16 of the NBA's elite teams face-off in what will be their road towards basketball's biggest stage, the NBA Finals.

Kobe Bryant made his return to the NBA Playoffs after parting ways with his seven-foot contingency plan. However, no one expected Kobe to be this passive.

Kobe Bryant dropped only 22 points in their 102-107 loss to the Phoenix Suns. A little passive for a guy who just dropped 81 points in the regular season.

Apparently, Lakers coach Phil Jackson is convinced that having Kobe score for 90 points won't make their chances of beating these Suns any better, so what he did was the unthinkable, give Luke Walton the basketball.

I don't have anything on Luke but Kobe brought you to the dance. Why would you keep the basketball away from him or, worse, refrain him from taking more shots? Maybe Phil is trying to surprise the Suns by letting ALL of his Lakers be more involved in the game but, why would you mess with something that's been working all season?

Kobe Bryant SHOULD still be the focal point of the Lakers offense, not Luke, not Lamar and not Kwame.

In the East, Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal combined for 57 of Miami's 111 points to bring the Chicago Bulls down, 111-106. Dwyane Wade's struggles with these pesky Bulls were well documented all season long but Miami Heat head coach, Pat Riley, was confident that his star guard WILL come through. And did he ever.

D-Wade scored 14 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, to put the Bulls away for good. That's including a six-point outburst that rallied the Heat from their very first deficit of the night.

''Great players will find a way to get around any defense when you raise the stakes,'' Riley said. ''And Dwyane is a big-game guy.''

Bodog has the odds on this year's NBA Playoffs wars. Log on and check out Bodog for all the odds now.

NBA Playoffs Preview: Best of the West

2006-04-20T21:02:00.000-07:00

The NBA Western Conference were once the dominant one.

The NBA Western Conference were once the superpowers of the league, especially with the likes of Shaquille O'Neal, (With the Lakers then) Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett taking over when Michael Jordan retired for the third and last time.

Now, with Shaq joining Pat Riley and his new agenda in Miami, the Western Conference lost that dominance over the East.

Nevertheless, the wild West still has the likes of Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki and Carmelo Anthony to carry the conference for an NBA championship.

Of course, there's also this guy wearing no.8 down in Los Angeles.

Now, we will take a look at the playoff match-ups in the Western Conference and we will determine who among them are good enough to get past the first round.

The San Antonio Spurs will be entering the NBA Playoffs as the no.1 seed and a team out to defend their NBA championship. They will face the rejuvenated Sacramento Kings, the no.8 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

Both the Spurs and the Kings play very similar basketball with Bruce Bowen and Ron Artest defending, hounding and harassing each team's superstar. The only problem for Sac' here is the fact that they don't have anything to match-up with Tim Duncan. Expect the Spurs to end Sacramento's misery in five games.

The Phoenix Suns will be at the no.2 seed as they play the no.7 seed, Los Angeles Lakers.

The Lakers are back in the playoffs. THAT is good news as Kobe Bryant is now turning out to be the mature leader of the group, Lamar Odom becoming another Phil-Jackson-prototype-forward and Kwame Brown showing signs he can play basketball.

Kwame Brown is the x-factor in this series, so to speak, and if he can come up with a big series, the Lakers can take advantage of Amare Stoudemire's absence.

However, the chance of that happening has the same odds of Shaq making his free throws. I'm certainly rooting for L.A., but it will be DAMN HARD.

The no.3 seed belongs to the Denver Nuggets, a team lucky enough to grab the third seed because of this year's dumb NBA ruling in the playoffs.

You see, the Nuggets are not THAT good compared to the top teams in the West. They are just lucky they play in a non-competitive division.

The Nuggets will play no.6 seed, Los Angeles Clippers and as I've said, the Nuggets were just LUCKY to grab no.3.

With that said, they won't have homecourt advantage in this series because the Clippers, even as the no.6 team in the playoffs, do have a better season record.

That's why these Nuggets may probably take an early exit, if George Karl can't come up with something special, fast.

At no.4, we have the Dallas Mavericks.

Despite being probably the second-best team in the West, they dropped to the fourth seed for failing to grab the division title from the defending NBA Champions, San Antonio Spurs.

The Memphis Grizzlies will meet 'em as the no.5 team and man, the Grizzlies do have an uphill battle here.

Pau Gasol ain't Dirk Nowitzki and Mike Miller ain't Jerry Stackhouse.

No contest.

Another thing going for the Mavericks in this match-up is the fact that the Grizzlies tend to play inside more while the Mavericks will burn you virtually EVERYWHERE on the basketball court.

Bodog has the odds on the coming NBA Playoffs. Pick your favorites from the San Antonio Spurs down to the Sacramento Kings. Log on and check out Bodog now.

NBA Playoffs Preview: Beasts of the East

2006-04-20T00:11:00.000-07:00

The NBA Playoffs bracket is set and ready to go.

Two conferences, each conference with eight of it's elite battling it out to become the representatives of their group in the biggest stage in all of basketball.

The road to the NBA Finals has begun.

But first, we will take a look at each match-up and study them to determine who among these teams will likely find their way to the second round. Let's start with the East.

For starters, the Detroit Pistons will be entering the NBA Playoffs as the no.1 seed and will have homecourt advantage throughout these crazy playoff wars.

These Pistons are on a roll and it looks like nothing can stop them at this point. They will face-off with the Milwaukee Bucks, who survived just enough to hold on to that no.8 and final playoff spot in the East.

This series could be a fast one. Yes, faster than you can say, ''D-e-e-e-t-r-o-o-o-i-i-i-t B-a-a-a-s-k-e-e-e-t-b-a-a-a-l-l!''

The Pistons have four all-stars in their line-up, the likes of Rasheed Wallace, Ben Wallace, Richard Hamilton and Chauncey Billups. The Bucks do have Michael Redd but he can't stop Detroit's four-star attack.

Pistons win in four games.

The somewhat struggling Miami Heat will be at the no.2 seed as they play the Chicago Bulls as the no.7 team.

The Heat can't seem to get it together during the later stages of the season. Maybe perhaps the wear and tear of the 82-game season is catching up to them or they just can't find that chemistry a team needs to win with all those egos in the same uniform.

BUT STILL, Shaquille O'Neal is Shaquille O'Neal and when the Bulls guards of Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon goes face to face with the seven-foot monster, you will witness how flies go down with a single swat on the basketball court.

And oh yes, there's also this guy from Miami named Dwyane Wade...

The no.3 seed belongs to the red hot New Jersey Nets as they face-off with no.6 seed, Indiana Pacers.

The Pacers can expose New Jersey's weakness in this series, the absence of a solid low-post threat. Pacer forward Jermaine O'Neal will definitely have a big series.

However, that's all there is when you look at the Pacers.

The New Jersey trio of Jason Kidd, Richard Jefferson, and the ridiculously-awesome Vince Carter, will just be enough to put these Pacers away in six games.

The Pacers may OWN the inside game in this series but everything else belongs to New Jersey.

At the no.4 seed lies LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers, as they face-off with the surging Washington Wizards after solidifying their spot at no.5.

This match-up could very well be the most exciting one from the East. The Cavaliers have LBJ and Larry Hughes, who is slowly finding his way back to form.

However, the Wizards have explosive scorers in Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler.

This three-headed monster will definitely be bad news to the Cavalier cause and if Larry Hughes can't find his true form back soon, considering the fact that he will be playing against his former team, the Wizards could pull away with an upset.

Bodog has the odds on the coming NBA Playoffs. Pick your favorites from the Detroit Pistons down to the Milwaukee Bucks. Log on and check out Bodog now.

NBA MVP Race Heats Up as Season Ends

2006-04-18T22:20:00.000-07:00

This season's NBA MVP race is a free-for-all.

Yes, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki and Chauncey Billups are all making a serious bid for this year's top honor.

All will be looking for that very award this season. Both Dirk and Chauncey led their respective teams to an incredible season so far, LeBron James finally carried the Cavaliers back to the playoffs and Kobe dropped eighty one points this year.

However, I guarantee you that Steve Nash won't be the MVP this year.

The MVP race is as close as it's ever been but if I were to choose one, I would have to go to the man who scored eighty one.

As for the other single-player honors, we will take a look at them and who are the ones likely to bag 'em all this year.

The ''Sixth Man of the Year'' award, in my opinion, could be given to either Alonzo Mourning or Jerry Stackhouse. That's like choosing between defense and offense. 'Zo is providing the defensive intensity for the Heat that Shaq can't give while Stackhouse is giving the Mavericks an instant offensive outburst off the bench. A 20-point or so offensive outburst at that.

''Most Improved Player'' is, without a shadow of a doubt, a lock for Suns' Boris Diaw. Anyone from the Suns is a potential candidate for Most Improved Player, it just so happens that Boris Diaw has consistency. Thanks to Steve Nash of course.

Flip Saunders and Avery Johnson will be gunning for this year's ''Coach of the Year'' award. Those two carried their respective teams to the top of their respective conferences and will be a toss-up on who will be able to bag it at the end of the year.

Being the Pistons fan that I am, I'm going for Flip.

Of course, both the ''Rookie of the Year'' and ''Defensive Player of the Year'' will definitely belong to Chris Paul and Ben Wallace respectively. If those two don't get these when it's all said and done, it will be the biggest highway robbery the NBA has ever seen.

Bodog has the odds on EVERY single-player award in the NBA. You have a strong case that LeBron James will bag the MVP this year? Put your money where your mouth is and place a bet at Bodog, now.

Lessons Fans Learned in the NBA Season

2006-04-18T01:24:00.000-07:00

The NBA Season is over.

Yes, it's that time of the year again when we have less than three months more to enjoy NBA basketball. So what have we learned during these 2,460 games of NBA basketball? Read on.

We learned that one has to be careful for what he wishes for. Classic example is former Detroit Pistons mentor, Larry Brown.

Larry Brown called his chance to coach the New York Knicks a ''dream job'' during the offseason. Now that the season is over, this hard-nosed coach can't call his tenure with the Knicks anything close from being a dream.

Why? Simple.

This guy led the Knicks to the worst record in the NBA. He left the helm of the Detroit Pistons to take over in New York, and then watched the Pistons roll to the league's best record while his Knicks sunk toward the bottom.

We also learned that a team without Steve Francis is good.

Apparently, since the Orlando Magic traded ''The Franchise'' away to New York, the Magic, quite frankly, saved THEIR franchise. The Magic are 16-4 since they gave up on the man they traded Tracy McGrady for.

That's the second-best record in the NBA.

Bodog has the odds on the coming NBA Playoffs. Did your team learned the stuff to win the NBA title? Check out Bodog and see the odds to that.

King James ends NBA Season at the top

2006-04-18T01:00:00.000-07:00

As the NBA season comes to a close, we see LeBron James at the very top of the player's rankings in this season's fantasy leagues.

Why LeBron James?!?

My sentiments exactly.

Yes, that's the same guy who continues to shy away from pressure-packed situations. And yes, he is also the same guy who always shouts, ''King James'' after every dunk in his games back in high school.

This season LeBron James has done it all. Like lead the Cavs to their first playoff berth since 1998. Or take All-Star MVP honors in Houston. Now he can add another accomplishment to his resume. The NBA wraps up the season with James ranked No. 1.

LeBron James is overrated. There, I said it.

The only reason LeBron James is filling the stat sheet in games this year is the verifiable fact that his team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, don't have anyone who can do anything right.

Larry Hughes?

He's been injured MOST of the season this year.

I guess that won't stop the self-proclaimed ''King James'' from being ranked no.1. Well, fantasy leagues focuses ENTIRELY on statistics and there's where LeBron excels.

This just proves the fact that all LeBron cares about is NOT to win games but rather how to get his. Just like the way he never gave up the ball in this year's All-Star game, or how he passed to an ice-cold Pavlovic with less than three seconds remaining.

Bodog has the odds on the coming NBA Playoffs. Pick your favorites from the Detroit Pistons down to the irritating Sacramento Kings. Log on and check out Bodog now.

The NBA Playoffs are Almost Here

2006-04-17T00:23:00.000-07:00

Only a couple more games before the NBA Playoffs kicks off.

Before another post-season madness takes place, we see both Staples Center teams in Los Angeles making it, the Detroit Pistons came away with the overall home court advantage all throughout the playoffs and Allen Iverson making an abrupt exit.

The top eight teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs.

The division winner with the best record in each conference is seeded no.1, the other division winners are seeded no.2 and no.3 and the remaining five teams are seeded nos.4 to 8 according to their won-lost records.

The discrepancy with this NBA ruling is very well exposed this year as the Dallas Mavericks, only a half-game behind top-seeded San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Western Conference, will be seeded fourth since they failed to win the division crown to those aforementioned Spurs.

The playoffs are set... Almost. Here are just some of the match-ups that will likely tango for that coveted NBA Championship.

In the NBA Eastern Conference, we see the Detroit Pistons likely to face the Chicago Bulls. Luckily for the Pistons, the Bulls won't have no.23 with them as no.7, Ben Gordon, is taking over where Jordan left off.

In the Western side of things, the defending NBA Champions, San Antonio Spurs, will be facing a Sacramento Kings team on the rise. Since landing Ron Artest from a trade with the Pacers, the Kings evolved from the run-and-gun offense popularized by ex-King Jason Williams, to a defensive minded team.

If Ron Artest can keep up with Manu Ginobili then we could very well see these Kings pull away with the biggest upset of the year.

Last but not the least, the New Jersey Nets, led by the nucleus of Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson and Jason Kidd, will go up against the revamped Indiana Pacers, minus Reggie Miller.

This might just be the best best-of-seven series in the first round and it will surely test the mettle of the red-hot Nets before their eventual face-off with the Miami Heat.

Bodog has the odds on this year's NBA Playoffs. They have everything, from who'll be the beasts of the East, the best in the West and of course, this year's NBA kings. Log on and check out Bodog now.

Reality Returns in Phoenix

2006-04-11T00:25:00.000-07:00

The Phoenix Suns were literally unstoppable when they started this year's NBA wars.

Now, it seems the Suns realized the reality that Amare Stoudemire is out for the remainder of the season.

Amare Stoudemire made his return to the Phoenix Suns lineup and instantaneously, stirred quite an impact when his Suns battled the lowly Portland Trailblazers. Amare dropped 20 points and nine rebounds in his first game of the season. He only played 19 minutes against Portland but man, did he score.

However, after that game, Amare was simply terrible in his team's next few games. He didn't even made it in double figures scoring for his team. Amare eventually made his way back to the injury list after having nagging pains from his knee and, mysteriously, the Suns are somewhat affected by it.

The Suns were already playing like a title contender without Amare as Steve Nash gave his teammates all the good looks they want. Heck, Nash even made Tim Thomas a solid scorer again.

But after having a taste of Amare and then losing him again rather abruptly, the Suns' chemistry were suddenly shaken.

Phoenix, after all the razzle-dazzle from Steve Nash and all those red-hot three-point shooting streaks from Raja Bell, clearly needs one thing at this point of the season, they need Amare back.
Stoudemire was an All-Star last season, averaging 26 points per game and helping the Suns to 62 wins and an appearance in the Western Conference finals.

With the Suns leading the Pacific Division, there were questions about bringing back Stoudemire from such a serious procedure. Stoudemire himself was uncertain about his return. There also were issues of incorporating Stoudemire into the run-and-gun offense of the Suns, who often play with France's Boris Diaw at center and frustrate foes with speed.

Now, the Phoenix Suns won't be worrying about that anytime soon.

Bodog has the odds on who will win this year’s hardwood battles in the NBA. Check out Bodog and place your bets today.

Shaq is Running Out of Diesel Power

2006-04-09T23:19:00.000-07:00

Shaquille O'Neal is running out of diesel.

Yup, that's how NBA fans see Shaquille O'Neal these days. However, Shaq still is the only man in the league who can call himself Most Dominant Ever and not even the top big men of the league today can say different.

So how come he's averaging career lows this season?

Shaq is averaging career lows in points, blocks, steals, assists, rebounds, minutes, free-throw attempts and field-goal attempts. In fact, the only category in which he could post a career high is fouls; despite playing far fewer minutes than ever before (just 30.5 a game), Shaq has been whistled 3.9 times per game.

Your answer? He doesn't have to do that much this year.

Shaquille O'Neal is at the time of his career where father time is catching up on his legs. And at age 34, Shaq is lucky enough to be included in a team literally loaded with talent. The Heat have two future Hall-of-Famers coming off the bench in Payton and 'Zo, you can't be any luckier than that.

With that firepower, all Shaq has to do now is control the paint. He doesn't have to do that much anymore back when he was with the Lakers. And of course, having Dwyane Wade as a teammate is not bad. Not bad at all.

What many NBA pundits fail to see is Shaq's effectiveness this season. Whenever Dwyane Wade and Jason Williams pass the ball to the big guy, he scores more often than not.

There is STILL no one in the league that can guard Shaq LEGALLY. And that is something even O'Neal's critics can agree.

Most Dominant Ever, that's how Shaquille O'Neal describes himself. He may indeed be slower and a little older this year but pit the best seven-foot monsters you can find in the NBA and Shaq can STILL go toe-to-toe with the best of 'em. Shaq is still the NBA's most dominant force, without a shadow of a doubt.

Can Shaquille O'Neal lead the Miami Heat to the NBA Championship? Will ''the Diesel'' grab one more NBA ring before hanging up those shorts for good? Bodog has the odds, log on and check out Bodog now.

Knicks can't Fly without E-wing in the NBA

2006-04-06T00:42:00.000-07:00

The New York Knicks were once one of the premiere teams in the league.

What happened to this exciting team that saw the likes of John Starks torch the competition with three-point bombs? What happened to this team that saw the likes of Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell engineer a one-two punch combo that was then deemed unstoppable?

Oh yeah, I almost forgot, they TRADED away Patrick Ewing.

The Knicks did the impossible, they traded away their icon, Patrick Ewing, to the Seattle Supersonics. A towering icon who once came to New York to help a team somewhat struggling on the basketball court. Before the Knicks landed Patrick Ewing as their overall no.1 draft, the Knicks... Well... Sucked.

When the New York franchise learned that they will have first dibs on that fateful lottery draft, everybody KNEW that New York will grab what will be their only true basketball icon, Patrick Ewing.

After they traded Ewing away to the Sonics, everybody KNEW the Knicks will make their return to the doghouse. No one knew that they will be THIS bad.

Now, the Knicks organization is trapped with a handful of mediocre players who have such high salaries that it will keep the Knicks waaay above the salary cap for the next decade.

The New York Knicks certainly have darker skies ahead of them. Maybe their only chance of ever resurfacing from the pits of utter stupidity is if the Timberwolves organization decide to trade Kevin Garnett to the Knicks for a couple of Knicks castaways.

The NBA Playoffs are coming and Bodog has the inside scoop on who will win this year's NBA Championship. Check out and visit Bodog for odds on the NBA Playoffs.

Ending at Nine: Knicks Upset Cavaliers

2006-04-05T23:42:00.000-07:00

The NBA saw two teams ended their streaks at NINE.

The New York Knicks ended their nine-game losing streak with a 96-94 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, ending LeBron's boys' winning streak to... You guessed it...

Nine.

Before the game, New York Knicks head coach, Larry Brown, was seeing his coaching stint in New York as one of his difficult years in the league. He even addressed the team as a group of players who doesn't have that desire to compete anymore.

In the end, it was Cleveland's Brown, head coach Mike Brown, who questioned his team's desire to play.

''I was disappointed in our effort,'' Mike Brown said.

''I thought that our guys felt that they could show up in this building and win the ballgame whenever they wanted to. We didn't take care of the basketball, we didn't really share the basketball. We weren't aggressive attacking until late in the game and we didn't do a good job defending,'' Brown confessed.

''They beat us from top to bottom, including myself and my whole staff and all the way down to our equipment guy,'' the dejected Mike Brown added.

As for Larry Brown, he couldn't be any happier for Jamal Crawford. Crawford led the Knicks attack with a game-high 37 points, finally giving the struggling New York franchise something to smile about.

To say that the Knicks are having quite a bad season is an understatement. Steve Francis, acquired from Orlando, couldn't be anymore upset than he already is. The man called as, ''the Franchise'' in his better days with Houston talked about the team's recent debacle this season.

''Besides my mom passing away when I was 18, this is top three, definitely, just because this is my livelihood,'' Steve Francis said.

''Basketball is what I do. To be able to come out here and not being able to help this Knicks organization win is tough. I think a lot of the players don't realize that you only have one basketball career and it doesn't last as long as you think. The money might be there, but actually being out there on the court, that (stuff) doesn't last. And until people realize that and realize that you have to help each other and not be so selfish and worry about how many points you score, we're going to be stuck in the same position, same place,'' Francis said.

At least for one night, Steve Francis and the rest of the New York Knicks celebrated a win in the NBA.

The NBA Playoffs are coming and Bodog has the inside scoop on who will win this year's NBA Championship. Check out and visit Bodog for odds on the NBA Playoffs.

Scoring Race Heats Up in the NBA

2006-04-04T23:43:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since the NBA had this kind of triple threat scoring face-off.

In 24 years of NBA basketball, many have conquered the title of scoring champion in the NBA. It saw the likes of Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird and of course, the incomparable Michael Jordan.

The last time the NBA had three superstars scoring at least 30 points every game was during the 81-82 season and through the entire 59-year history of the league, it only happened six times.

This season, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson and LeBron James are putting on quite a show, proving the fact that the NBA's 2005-2006 season may be the best year fans have enjoyed watching the league since Magic Johnson and Larry Bird went toe-to-toe for greatness.

As of press time, Kobe leads the scoring barrage with an incredible 34.8 points per game, Allen Iverson follows suit with 32.9 points and LeBron James with 31.5 markers.

So who would end the season as scoring champion?

Easy. Kobe.

Kobe Bryant, with an average of almost 35 points, will be tough to catch. Kobe is scoring the basketball like crazy this year. He has already made history with his 81-point performance against the Toronto Raptors when he single-handedly led his Lakers to a come from behind victory.

Both Allen Iverson and LeBron James are awesome scorers but Kobe is simply in another league right now. And with 10 more games left in the regular season before they all head to the NBA Playoffs, Kobe is locked to be crowned the NBA scoring king.

Bodog has the odds on who will become this year's MVP. Will it be Kobe Bryant? Allen Iverson? LeBron James? Scoring in bunches is one thing, becoming MVP is entirely a different story. Log on and visit Bodog for odds on the NBA Most Valuable Player.

Larry Hughes Returns to Action

2006-04-04T22:30:00.000-07:00

It's been three months since Larry Hughes went down with an injury.

Now, the Cleveland Cavaliers have Larry Hughes back, although only dropping a measly ten-point performance against the Philadelphia 76ers, Hughes will definitely be a big boost to the Cavaliers as they make their return to the playoffs after quite some time.

''The doctors didn't put any limitations on me,'' Hughes said before their game against Allen Iverson and his Sixers.

The 6'5'' shooting guard from St. Louis, Missouri was examined for the last time before he suited up the familiar ''Wine and Gold'' no.32. Hughes was then officially cleared to play.

''He's eager to play, but we're going to take things easy,'' Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown said.

''There's no need to rush him into anything,'' Brown added.

Originally, Hughes was supposed to only miss six to eight weeks after his finger surgery last January 6. Unfortunately, Hughes' finger didn't heal properly and he had to undergo yet another surgery last February 14.

The Cavaliers are 18-10 with Hughes in their lineup. He averaged 16.2 points and 3.9 assists before the injury. However, the Cavaliers, somehow, were fortunate enough not to feel the effects of Hughes' absence. The Cavaliers are still good at 26-19 without him.

In fact, the Cavs even ran for an eight-game winning streak without him.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are finally healthy and they will try climb the NBA mountain beginning late April. The NBA Playoffs heats up as the Cavaliers prepare for their biggest test yet. Can the Cavs do it? VIP Sports has the odds, log on and check 'em out now.

LeBron James - Dwyane Wade Rivalry

2006-04-04T10:48:00.000-07:00

Since the 80s, nothing compared to the Magic-Bird rivalry in the NBA.

Until now.

The future has finally arrived in the NBA, and along with the future, came along a king and another ''Shaq protoge'' that will probably become a man of his own.

Yes, I'm talking about King LeBron James and Miami's Shaq protoge, Dwyane Wade. It is still early yet to call these guys future hall-of-famers but with the way they are going, they are definitely on the right track to become just that.

But who's better?

First, let's talk about LeBron James. LeBron James is a powerhouse that uses his awesome 6'8'' frame to power through defenders with ease. To say that LeBron James is virtually unstoppable could very well be an understatement.

LeBron also has the uncanny ability to shoot the basketball from any point on the basketball court. King James can burn you with his mid game, post you up and suddenly shock you with a quick fadeaway and make you look silly with a three-point bomb.

Dwyane Wade, on the other hand, can attack the rim with reckless abandon. Many liken Wade's ability to attack the paint to Philadelphia's own, Allen Iverson. The only difference is, Iverson ONLY gets to the free throw line while Wade gets there and scores even before shooting his free throws.

Wade, with his uncanny upper body strength, leads the league in old-fashioned three-point plays. If you see Wade going inside the paint, you can very well expect Wade to score while getting fouled.

So who's better?

Both players are awesome offensively but I would have to name King James as the better scorer. Wade doesn't have James' shooting touch yet.

However, the problem with LeBron is that he has the tendency to forget about his teammates. He has this stretch in games where he tries to take over games, sometimes leaving the Cavaliers on the losing end.

As for Dwyane Wade, he is one of only the few players in the league this year to be included in the top ten in scoring, assists and steals all at the same time. That means Wade helps his team win basketball games, not only with his offense but with his defense as well. LeBron James may be the better one-man show but Dwyane Wade is the better team player and that makes D-Wade greater than Cleveland's king in the courts of the NBA.

Not convinced yet? Bodog has the odds on who will be the best player in the league, at least for this season. Log on and visit Bodog now.

NBA Playoffs Bracket Almost Set

2006-04-04T00:11:00.000-07:00

The NBA post-season is coming.

There are approximately 10 games left before 16 of the NBA's finest teams, eight from the East and eight from the West, meet for a tournament that will decide the perennial kings of the hardwood this season.

In the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Pistons have already earned home court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs and are bidding for more as they try to take home field advantage throughout the entire playoffs.

Seeds 2 and 3 is where the action's at as of press time. The New Jersey Nets are the hottest team right now in the NBA and with an incredible 12-game winning streak, they are about to challenge the Miami Heat for that second seed.

The Cleveland Cavaliers will finally make their return in the NBA playoffs behind the leadership of their new redeemer, LeBron James. The Cavs, with a first round matchup probably with Washington or Milwaukee, will definitely give LeBron James his first playoff series conquest.

In the Western Conference, two of it's best teams will probably face-off as early as the second round. The San Antonio Spurs and the Dallas Mavericks are the two best teams in the West but with both playing in the very competitive Southwest Division, NBA fans will see one of these teams exit early because of the league's rules in seeding.

(Three division winners from each conference will earn the top three seeds regardless of win-loss records.)

And that's only half the madness in the West. This year's playoffs will see that ''other'' L.A. team seeded higher than Hollywood's premiere club. Yes, the Clippers are seeded no.5 as of press time and the Lakers, barely making it in this year's playoffs, won't be overtaking the Clips' anytime soon.

There you have it, with 10 more games left to play, teams will be making that last bid to either make it or break it. The NBA playoffs is almost here and playoff basketball has never been as intense.

VIP Sports has the odds on who will be this year's NBA Champions. Log on and check out VIP Sports now for odds on the NBA Championship.

Nets Rising in the NBA Eastern Conference

2006-04-02T23:13:00.000-07:00

All of a sudden, the Miami Heat are looking behind their backs, seeing the streaking New Jersey Nets.

Yes, all of a sudden, the New Jersey Nets found themselves in an astounding 12-game winning streak. All of a sudden, the Miami Heat are thinking that the Nets could very well overtake them from that no.2 seed in the East playoffs, something they literally ''owned'' since last season.

''Right now they're playing the best basketball of anybody in the NBA, there's no doubt,'' said Miami Heat head coach, Pat Riley.

New Jersey's 12-game winning streak is this year's longest winning streak of the NBA. Yes, even better than all those streaks Detroit came up with this year. If this trend continues, it could be a matter of time before the New Jersey Nets find themselves next to the defending Eastern Conference champions, Detroit Pistons.

New Jersey beat the Heat, 90-78, in a game that marked the return of Shaquille O'Neal. O'Neal poured in 18 points while Dwyane Wade was in his usual self, dropping 32 points, six rebounds and five assists to lead the Miami cause.

However, none of them came up with an answer for New Jersey's no.15.

Vince Carter was simply unstoppable, scoring a game-high 43 points, solidifying that indeed, Vinsanity has arrived from the other side of the border (Toronto) and it's there to lead the Nets to the promised land.

To say that Vince Carter was unstoppable against the Heat, could very well be an understatement.

''For him, everybody talked about his past, being soft, or a guy who doesn't like to compete when it gets tough, and he's shown us everything but that. He's been right there when it starts to get tough, and he wants the shot, or he wants to play defense,'' Jason Kidd said of the revitalized Vince Carter.

When New Jersey first came up with their longest winning streak in franchise history (14 wins), it was Lawrence Frank's first year as Nets head coach, taking over from Byron Scott in the middle of the season. More importantly, they didn't have no.15 then as Vince Carter was having his dog-days in Toronto.

Now the New Jersey Nets have a chance in equaling that achievement. More importantly, they have a chance in surpassing just that, and grab the no.2 seed away from the Miami Heat in the process.

Bodog has the odds on who will become the beast in the East this season. Can the New Jersey Nets surpass the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference? The NBA Playoffs is coming, log on and check out Bodog for odds on this year's playoff battles.

It's On! Florida and UCLA at the NCAA Final

2006-04-02T19:53:00.000-07:00

Emphatic. That's how the Florida Gators and the UCLA Bruins got into their classic NCAA Final encounter this Monday.

First, let's talk about the Florida Gators and their tenacious appetite to grab the basketball. Yes, the Florida Gators grabbed 'em all. They got all the second-chance baskets they want, leaving the Cinderella team of the George Mason Patriots without any chance of fighting back.

The Gators grabbed every offensive rebound there is to grab, kicking the ball out to reset the offense and draining much of the final three minutes of their NCAA Final Four face-off.

In the end, the Gators ate all the time left on the clock away, sending ''Cinderella'' home with the bitter taste of defeat.

''We knew,'' forward Corey Brewer said, ''that Cinderella was going home.''

And did they sent Cinderella home, earning Florida a spot in the NCAA Final this Monday. But THAT was half of the story last Saturday.

The UCLA Bruins, a team rich with NCAA tournament history, cruised to an emphatic win over the LSU Tigers in a game where competition was nowhere in sight.

The Bruins looked like tall men in a shoot-around over big babies (No pun intended) as Glen Davis, LSU's ''Big Baby,'' was shut down. UCLA, coming into their NCAA Final Four encounter, won a record of 11 NCAA championships. Last Saturday, the Bruins showed the Tigers how they won that many titles.

Defense.

UCLA allowed just one school to score more than 60 and that was Gonzaga, one of their 12 victims en route to their NCAA Final game against Florida.

It's the Florida Gators going up against the UCLA Bruins. A program without any legacy of championships yet to show for in Florida will go up against a school rich with NCAA Championship tradition with the Bruins. This year's NCAA tournament had it's share of unexpected moments and great comeback stories. Florida and UCLA will prove to be the perfect culmination of this crazy NCAA March Madness wars.

Bodog has the odds on who will win this year's biggest and grandest prize in all of NCAA College Basketball. The Florida Gators and the UCLA Bruins will stop at nothing to be a part of NCAA history. Which program will come out on top? Check out and visit Bodog to find out.

By George! They're NCAA's GMU Fans now!

2006-03-30T23:59:00.000-08:00

NCAA's Cinderella team, the George Mason Patriots, are everyone's favorite team to win it all from the NCAA Final Four.

Of course, watching them upset one team after another to reach the NCAA Final Four sure helps.

Nobody even knew that there's a team playing basketball in George Mason. All of a sudden, people are wearing the Patriots green and gold and rehearsing the hitherto for unknown names of the team's starting line-up around water coolers.

This just proves that the nation is just discovering George Mason and that's perfectly okay.

The whole nation, and even the world, is suddenly aware of Northern Virginia's own George Mason University, by virtue of the incredible feat by its men's basketball team to make it to the elite ''Final Four'' of NCAA competition this weekend.

The team's amazing upset of four consecutive foes in the post-season tournament, including three highly-touted programs with long histories of top-drawer athletic achievements, truly constitutes a ''Cinderella story'' guaranteed to become legend among all sports enthusiasts for generations.

Everybody is browsing through their personal histories, looking for that one day when they went to George Mason to take a night class, attended a seminar or, for some, that diploma that proves they earned a degree from the school.

The NCAA tournament justifies the existence of some schools in North America and George Mason is a classic example.

Too bad it takes an achievement in sports to earn a school recognition that it deserved all along for its academics and other offerings, but has been denied. But we're sure the folks at GMU will take it. We've all become ''GMU Conscious'' now, even as we scramble now to get our hands on season tickets for the next basketball year.

NCAA's Cinderella team, George Mason has 15/4 odds to win their NCAA Final Four match-up at Bodog. Can these George Mason Patriots come out of the NCAA Final Four as champions? Log on and check out Bodog now.

NBA to Ban Tights Next Season

2006-03-30T23:29:00.000-08:00

After the headbands and the long shorts, it seems tights are now the latest trend in the NBA.

Since Jerry Stackhouse first used it in last year's playoffs, it seems majority of the league's top players are joining the fashion trend. Guys like Dwyane Wade, Vince Carter, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James are all wearing these leg-wraps during NBA games.

Of course, these players claim that it helps keep their legs warm during games. It also helps 'em to stay away from aggravating any groin injuries or muscle sprains. Stack' is a testament to that. After suffering from a groin injury last year, he started wearing those tights and he never looked back since.

Now, the league is trying to ban 'em for next year's season.

First was the regulation of the length of a player's shorts, then the dress code this year and now, this no-to-tights campaign next season. NBA Commish' David Stern sure's getting a lot of love from players and fans by now.

Although NBA officials are not publicly commenting on the issue, sources say that the league simply does not like the look of players wearing visible hose. It's believed that the league office, which already has regulations in place to curtail short lengths, can unilaterally outlaw tights by simply amending its uniform code before the 2006-07 season.

The thing is, the league believes that some players wear these tights primarily because of how the way it looks and not because of medical stuff. Well, if these guys put people on seats then by all means, let them wear what they want to wear.

Stackhouse, the man who started this ''tight movement'' so to speak, says, ''If they ban 'em, I'll find something else.''

Eight players who wear tights, the likes of Kobe, LeBron, Michael Redd and Vince Carter, are all Nike-sponsored athletes. That's why Nike is now selling a ''pro basic'' pair of tights for $35 a pop and a ''pro thermal'' pair for 50 bucks.

Bodog has odds on this year's NBA hardwood battles. Log on and visit Bodog now.

Sprewell lets Ego keep Him Away from NBA

2006-03-30T11:59:00.000-08:00

Somewhere deep in the heart of Milwaukee, lies Latrell Sprewell.

Yes, Latrell Sprewell is currently residing in River Hills, Wisconsin, and by the looks of things, he won't be moving anytime soon for an NBA title contender, an NBA playoff-bound franchise, or an NBA team for that matter.

Latrell Sprewell, as good a basketball player that he is, still is and always has been letting his ego get the best of him.

The media tried to contact Spree, what happened next was typical of Sprewell.

''Get off my property right now or I'll send someone out there to take your head off!'' Sprewell exclaimed.

So ended the briefest of encounters early Sunday afternoon a few miles north of downtown Milwaukee, the biggest mystery of the NBA season no closer to being explained by the only person who has any of the answers.

Inside the sprawling yellow brick home with the massive wooden jungle gym in the backyard resides the best basketball player in the world without a job, an athlete who could help some team win an NBA championship three months from now if it could just get a reading on whether he's willing and/or able to set aside his shame and lace 'em up for the first time since the Minnesota Timberwolves played their final game last season.

You see, the problem for Sprewell is the mere fact that he's no longer the explosive basketball player he once was.

He turned down a three-year $21-million extension from the Minnesota Timberwolves explaining he had ''a family to feed.'' Sprewell was waiting for the Lakers to pick him up but L.A. and the Wolves failed to agree on a sign-and-trade deal.

That left Latrell Sprewell no choice but to play for the NBA veteran's minimum which happens to be $1 million.

Bodog has the odds on who will be this year’s NBA Champions. Will Latrell Sprewell be a part of that team? Log on and check out Bodog now.

Amare Stoudemire's Knee causes Problems

2006-03-29T22:24:00.000-08:00

Amare Stoudemire did not want to talk Tuesday about how his comeback for the Phoenix Suns has been called off after three games.

And that said it all. He seems to be tired of reliving why his knees still ache. He seems to want to avoid rehashing how his past two games regressed into a shell of his former athletic presence. He does not want to give answers because perhaps he has none about what will happen now.

Stoudemire may not be back for the rest of this road trip or the rest of this season, a possibility that many suggested should have been the case all along. He will resume rehabilitation activity with the Suns holding out hope that he could recapture his athleticism with scrimmages and conditioning sessions rather than frustrating games like he had Saturday and Monday.

''It's not fair to him or the team,'' said Suns head coach Mike D'Antoni, who put on his team executive hat to make the Stoudemire decision Tuesday. ''He needs now to stop it, keep rehabbing and play one-on-one and try to get back to where he can run, sprint and jump.''

''He really wants to play and help the team as much as he can. As the franchise general manager, you've got to really think long term. If he's not getting better, then what are we doing?'' the coach added.

Stoudemire hardly was to blame for the franchise's third-worst defeat ever Monday in New Jersey, but it did not help a sluggish start when Stoudemire had no lift in his jumps and no pep to his step.

D'Antoni acknowledged that perhaps many people wanted Stoudemire's comeback to happen ''so fast that it would've been better if we waited.'' But he reiterated that the attempt did not do any harm to Stoudemire's knees, one that underwent a microfracture procedure in October and one that had recent swelling.

After a good week of practices that led to his return last week, Stoudemire's knees have progressively become more difficult for him to loosen up and have prompted him to describe the condition as pain and soreness.

Some NBA veterans suffered the same injury that virtually lessened themselves to a shell of who they once where. Some even had their careers abruptly ended, like NBA superstars Allan Houston and Anfernee Hardaway.

Bodog has the odds on who’ll be this year’s NBA Champions. Can the Phoenix Suns win it all without Amare Stoudemire or will the Detroit Pistons destroy Steve Nash's Canadian behind? Log on and check out Bodog now.

LSU Tigers will grab NCAA Title this season

2006-03-29T00:00:00.000-08:00

These LSU Tigers act like brothers.

Teasing each other, snickering at inside jokes, deriding any sign of pretension, their chemistry this year is unparalleled. After all, they grew up together, competed with and against each other for years.

Along the way they learned a lot about basketball and about themselves. Now LSU's Tiger cubs consider themselves a family, brothers with different mothers but one goal.

''I think the chemistry on this team is special,'' said Glen ''Big Baby'' Davis on Tuesday as the team prepared for its trip to Indianapolis and the NCAA Final Four. ''We know each other in and out of the game. We've been together all our lives.''

Four team members are from Baton Rouge, Davis, Garrett Temple, Tyrus Thomas and Darnell Lazare. Darrel Mitchell is from St. Martinville, La., about 60 miles southwest of Baton Rouge. Glen Mitchell is from one exit down I-12 at Denham Springs.

Now, they're going to the Final Four, together. The Tigers (27-8), with NCAA victories over Iona, Texas A&M, Duke and Texas, face UCLA Saturday in the NCAA semifinals. It's the first time LSU has reached the Final Four since 1986.

The group began competing against each other as kids, playing on school teams, AAU teams, church teams. That's why, even though they are the youngest team in this weekend's Final Four, with three freshmen and a sophomore in the starting lineup and only one senior on the roster, the Tigers feel they have an edge in experience.

''We know each other, we know our games,'' Temple said. ''When I take the ball downcourt, Glen knows if I'm going to shoot or pass it off. He knows if it will be an ally or a bullet pass. He just knows. A lot of teams play together two or three years before they get to where we are.''

The LSU Tigers will bring their solid team chemistry to the basketball court of Indianapolis on Saturday to face the UCLA Bruins in one of the two games in the NCAA Final Four. LSU is looking good, with this chemistry and of course, the Glen Davis / Tyrus Thomas frontcourt.

The LSU Tigers have 12/5 odds of winning the NCAA Championship while the UCLA Bruins still are one of the favorites with 13/4 odds. Who will come out of the NCAA Final Four between these two programs to play for the championship? Log on and check out Bodog now.

Philadelphia came back in NCAA Basketball

2006-03-28T01:03:00.000-08:00

Philadelphia was back, and the Villanova Wildcats were proud of that.

Allan Ray and Randy Foye led Villanova to a Big East co-championship and a return to national prominence, bringing Philly's basketball epicenter back to the Main Line.

The senior guards did everything except lead the Wildcats to the national championship.

Villanova's run through the NCAA tournament fell one win shy of the Final Four after it lost to Florida in the Minneapolis Regional on Sunday, ending one of the program's greatest seasons.

"I know it hurts for everybody, but I really want to make sure this group feels great about itself," coach Jay Wright said. "They love Villanova, they love that experience, and Villanova loves them."

The Wildcats (28-5) made it to the regional final even with Curtis Sumpter lost to a preseason knee injury, forcing a unique four-guard offense that carried the team until the end. Perhaps worn down from carrying the scoring load, running an always attacking defense, and tournament teams with a frontcourt size advantage, Ray, Mike Nardi and Kyle Lowry struggled in their final games and didn't have the sharp shooting touch that helped the Wildcats set a team 3-point record.

"It hurts to know that we are not going to be able to play next week in the Final Four," Foye said.

With Ray and Foye gone, Villanova's four-guard offense will probably go with them.

Sumpter will be back, though, along with starters Nardi, Lowry and Will Sheridan, and seasoned sophomores Dante Cunningham and Shane Clark form a nucleus that gives the Wildcats hope of another deep postseason run.

Villanova didn't want to think about next year after its 75-62 loss to Florida. This was a team that was built to win this season, and they did, winning more games than any Villanova team in history. The Wildcats spent every week ranked in the Top 10 and earned their first No. 1 NCAA tournament seed.

It remains to be seen where the Wildcats will go from here next year.

The Florida Gators are 7/4 picks and are heavy favorites to become NCAA Hardwood Kings but NCAA’s Cinderella team, George Mason is not far behind with 15/4 odds. The LSU Tigers have 12/5 odds of winning the NCAA Championship while the UCLA Bruins still are one of the favorites with 13/4 odds. Who will come out of the NCAA Final Four to play for the championship? Log on and check out Bodog now.

NCAA's Sympathy Award for J.J. Redick and Adam Morrison?

2006-03-27T20:13:00.000-08:00

J.J. Redick of Duke and Adam Morrison of Gonzaga spent all season locked in a bi-coastal scoring race.

Fittingly, they ended it as the only unanimous selections for The Associated Press' All-America men's basketball team.

Redick, the most prolific 3-point scorer in college history, was a repeat choice. He and Morrison were joined on the first team Monday by Redick's teammate Shelden Williams, Randy Foye of Villanova and Brandon Roy, Washington's first All-America in 53 years.

Redick and Morrison gave fans a ''Can you top this?'' scoring competition that ended with both receiving all 72 first-team votes from members of the national media panel that selects the weekly Top 25. The voting took place before the NCAA tournament.

Morrison, the only junior on an otherwise all-senior first team, won the scoring title with a 28.4 average, just ahead of Redick's 27.4. Morrison shot 43.7 percent from 3-point range, while Redick hit 42.1 percent from beyond the arc.

''It is a testament to the type of season each of us has had,'' Redick said. ''Adam is certainly a great player and it is an honor to be unanimous pick along with him.''

Morrison said being an All-America isn't ''something you think about receiving when you start your collegiate career, but to be associated with some of the great names of college basketball is an honor. I guess to be a unanimous pick with J.J. seems only fitting since the two of us have been followed so closely this year. He's a great player.''

Morrison is Gonzaga's second All-America, joining Dan Dickau in 2002.

This is the second time in three years there were two unanimous selections. In 2004, Jameer Nelson of Saint Joseph's and Emeka Okafor of Connecticut were unanimous.

Both J.J. Redick and Adam Morrison will be more than happy celebrating this achievement after having their respective teams eliminated rather abruptly from the NCAA March Madness Brackets.

The Florida Gators are 7/4 picks and are heavy favorites to become NCAA Hardwood Kings but NCAA's Cinderella team, George Mason is not far behind with 15/4 odds. The LSU Tigers have 12/5 odds of winning the NCAA Championship while the UCLA Bruins still are one of the favorites with 13/4 odds. Who will come out of the NCAA Final Four to play for the championship? Log on and check out Bodog now.

NCAA Final Four Matchup: George Mason will be Luckier than Florida

2006-03-27T19:49:00.000-08:00

The hottest player in the NCAA Tournament, Florida Gators forward, Joakim Noah went supernova on the top-seeded Villanova Wildcats.

Villanova rallied from a 16-point deficit against Boston College on Friday to muster a 60-59 overtime win. Noah insured that wouldn't happen, scoring seven consecutive points to help Florida open a 66-54 advantage with 2:19 remaining.

''He's a unique player. I don't remember anyone as good offensively or defensively on the perimeter and in the post,'' Villanova coach, Jay Wright said.

That doesn't bode well for George Mason in Saturday's matchup against the Gators in Indianapolis. The undersized Patriots had to rally from a 12-point deficit Sunday to oust top-seeded Connecticut 86-84 in overtime.

As the first No. 11 seed to make the Final Four in 20 years, George Mason (27-7) will enter the RCA Dome as sentimental favorites among fans who love underdogs (or simply hate the Gators). Florida, though, can relate, being underdogs themselves with a very young core of players.

Almost five months ago, the Gators were projected as mere sports filler in Gainesville until spring football practice began. But a team that wasn't ranked in the preseason top 25 shed its Cinderella label a long time ago en route to a school-record 31 wins and its first Final Four appearance since 2000.

''It's a great feeling when you have a lot of doubters and you prove them wrong,'' Noah said. ''I think it made us tighter at the end of the day.''

Toward the end of the postgame celebration, Noah saw one of the nets wasn't completely cut down. He snipped the final eight strands and tossed the webbing to Horford, who wore it like a necklace.

Noah then made sure every piece was removed from the rim, handing and throwing the remnants to fans before heading into the locker room. The way it's looking for Noah and the Gators, this won't be the last time he will climb a ladder with scissors in hand.

However, George Mason is still looking to continue what is turning out to be the greatest story in NCAA March Madness history. Both teams will try to do the impossible and it looks like lady luck would still smile on the Cinderella story of George Mason.

The Florida Gators are 7/4 picks and are heavy favorites to become NCAA Hardwood Kings but NCAA's Cinderella team, George Mason is not far behind with 15/4 odds. Who will come out of the NCAA Final Four as champions? Log on and check out Bodog now.

NCAA Final Four Matchup: LSU to Stomp on UCLA

2006-03-27T19:20:00.000-08:00

LSU Tigers will decimate any frontcourt the UCLA Bruins come up with.

With the size they have coming in to their matchup with UCLA, the LSU Tigers are an easy bet heading to the two programs' NCAA Final Four dance on Saturday.

Tyrus Thomas alone is one tough giant to escape from inside the paint with the way he swats the basketball away from the hoop.

Tyrus Thomas' leaping ability is superhuman and he can use that with his gorilla-like wingspan perfectly. It's one thing reading Thomas' blocking ability on paper, but it's an entirely different story watching him swat the ball like a fly.

''We're going up against the human fly-swatting machine,'' UCLA coach Ben Howland said. Howland is concerned, and there's plenty more reason to be concerned about.

And then there's LSU's ''Big Baby,'' Glen Davis, a giant with the genetic composition of a man that goes by the name of Shaquille O'Neal, that can power his way through basically EVERYBODY, whenever he chooses.

Glen Davis is already a 6'9'' skyscraper with a 310-pound frame. And he's only a sophomore. This guy will just get bigger and bigger and if LSU product, Shaquille O'Neal, was to tell us anything, Glen Davis has a bright future ahead of him. A huge one at that.

And perhaps the biggest problem for the UCLA Bruins coming in this Saturday's NCAA Final Four matchup would have to be the fact that both LSU giants work together as a unit. (Think Detroit's R&B, Rasheed and Ben Wallace.)

''Glen and [I] live together and have known each other since we were 10, and we've got the same background, so we have a bond that you can't teach,'' Thomas said. ''We aren't jealous of each other. We're never selfish. He's like my brother,'' Tyrus Thomas adds.

To say that the LSU frontcourt is a huge test for UCLA could very well be an understatement. Tigers will go on and play for the NCAA title, those Bruins will just be target practice on Saturday at the NCAA Final Four.

NCAA Final Four's Cinderella Story: George Mason

2006-03-27T11:59:00.000-08:00

''We seeded them too low,'' that is how Virginia athletic director Craig Littlepage spoke of George Mason.

The no.11 seed in this year's NCAA March Madness brackets, George Mason dropped opposing teams, one at a time, to join UCLA, Florida and LSU in this year's NCAA Final Four.

Yes, no top seed made it this year, all the more reason why they call it, ''March Madness.''

George Mason's run at the NCAA promise land, is by far, the greatest run ever in NCAA Final Four history. George Mason, named after one of the founders of the U.S. Constitution who refused to sign the document because he wanted to abolish slavery, made the school's namesake even prouder.

Who wouldn't?

With the name 'George Mason' written across their chests, these basketball players will be hard to stop as they meet the Florida Gators to determine who will move on to play the biggest dance in college basketball.

The Patriots were one of the last five at-large teams to make the field, and all they did was knock off three of the last six national champs.

Michigan State (2000) in round one (without suspended second-leading scorer Tony Skinn), North Carolina (2005) in round two and Connecticut (2004) at the Verizon Center in overtime in the Elite Eight. Wedged in there was Missouri Valley champ Wichita State in the Sweet 16.

Let's go over this again, the Patriots took out Tom Izzo, Roy Williams and Jim Calhoun, the latter a Hall of Fame member and the first two likely to be enshrined some day.

''I don't know if I've ever seen anything as remarkable,'' Mike Tranghese said. Mike Tranghese is the commissioner of the Big East Conference.

''Connecticut played well but George Mason played out of its mind. It reminded me of the night Villanova beat Georgetown in 1985 to win the national title,'' he added.

George Mason will try to keep their Cinderella story alive as they take on the young Florida Gators. The Gators can prove to be tough adversaries to these Patriots because of their youth, youth that can very well shield Florida from the tension this big NCAA Final Four match-up will bring. However, once will be foolish to count George Mason out already.

The LSU Tigers have 12/5 odds of winning the NCAA Championship while the Florida Gators are 7/4 picks and are heavy favorites to become NCAA Hardwood Kings. UCLA still is one of the favorites with 13/4 odds but NCAA's Cinderella team, George Mason is coming strong with 15/4 odds. Who will come out of the NCAA Final Four as champions? Log on and check out Bodog now.

NCAA Final Four's Legendary Program: UCLA

2006-03-27T01:20:00.000-08:00

The most storied program in college basketball is back in the NCAA Final Four.

Arron Afflalo, coach Ben Howland and the rest of the Bruins have returned UCLA to the lofty level of its glory years. Afflalo scored 15 points and shut down Memphis leading scorer Rodney Carney, helping No. 2 seed UCLA defeat the top-seeded Tigers 50-45 Saturday and earn a trip to Indianapolis for its first Final Four appearance since the school's 1995 NCAA championship.

Ryan Hollins added 14 points, nine rebounds and drew two charges on defense as the cold-shooting Bruins won their 11th straight game to capture the Oakland Regional in the lowest-scoring regional final since the shot-clock era began in 1986.

UCLA (31-6) will play in next Saturday's semifinals against LSU, a 70-60 overtime winner over Texas in the Atlanta Regional final earlier in the day. Defense has become the Bruins' trademark, a stark contrast from the last time UCLA won the title. The '95 Bruins beat Connecticut 102-96 in the regional final in an up-and-down game.

These Bruins aren't even close to the offensive juggernaut of the title team with Ed O'Bannon and Tyus Edney. Memphis' only field goal in the first 8:24 of the second half Saturday didn't even go in the basket. Washington got credit for the points on a goaltending call.

UCLA got this far by surviving close games, and this time by surviving serious free-throw woes. The Bruins, 20-of-39 at the line, pulled off an improbable 73-71 comeback win over Gonzaga in the third round after beating Alabama 62-59 in their second NCAA game. UCLA rallied from nine points down in the final 3:27 to beat the Zags.

UCLA's tussle with LSU could very well be a tough defensive basketball game. LSU have twin towers, Tyrus Thomas and Glen Davis, to clog up the lanes. Both UCLA and LSU will be physically and mentally tested in the defensive end as both programs will try to come out victorious in the NCAA Final Four.

The LSU Tigers have 12/5 odds of winning the NCAA Championship while the Florida Gators are 7/4 picks and are heavy favorites to become NCAA Hardwood Kings. NCAA's Cinderella team, George Mason is coming strong with 15/4 odds but UCLA still is one of the favorites with 13/4 odds. Who will come out of the NCAA Final Four as champions? Log on and check out Bodog now.

NCAA Final Four's Underdogs: Florida

2006-03-27T00:13:00.000-08:00

Joakim Noah and the rest of Florida Gators' sophomores were simply too strong for the last No. 1 seed standing.

With a 75-62 win over top-seeded Villanova in the Minneapolis Regional on Sunday, the young Gators are going to the NCAA Final Four a lot sooner than anyone would have thought.

Noah had 21 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks to lead the third-seeded Gators. Fellow sophomore Al Horford added 12 points and 15 rebounds and Taurean Green scored 19 points for the young Gators (31-6), who will play No. 11 seed George Mason next Saturday in the national semifinals in Indianapolis.

This marks the first time since the field was expanded to 64 teams in 1985 that no top-seeded team advanced to the Final Four, and the second time in tournament history.

Villanova star Randy Foye fouled out with 28.9 seconds left and walked slowly to the bench to hug his coaches and teammates with tears streaming down his face. He carried the Wildcats (28-5) for the second time in three days, without any help from fellow senior Allan Ray.

This was Florida's eighth straight trip to the NCAA tournament under coach Billy Donovan, but so many of his previous teams -- minus the national runner-up in 2000 -- failed to fulfill their potential in the postseason.

This tight group of sophomores, led by the fiery, ponytailed Noah, vowed to change that after bonding during their first few weeks on campus. Despite a second-round loss in the tournament last year to Villanova, the Gators are a nation-best 15-1 in March over the last two years.

The Florida Gators shocked the no.1 seed, Villanova Wildcats to go on and fulfill their NCAA Basketball destiny. However, fellow ''world-shockers,'' so to speak stand in their way as George Mason stands in they way. Both will be looking to shock the NCAA March Madness brackets again but only one will advance from the NCAA Final Four.

Who will be the NCAA March Madness Bracket Kings among this year's NCAA Final Four? George Mason and UCLA are 15/4 and 13/4 respectively to become champions while the LSU Tigers, have 12/5 odds of winning the NCAA Championship. The Florida Gators are 7/4 picks and are heavy favorites to become NCAA Hardwood Kings. Place your bets at Bodog today.

NCAA Final Four's Huge Darkhorse: LSU

2006-03-26T23:39:00.000-08:00

The LSU Tigers shocked the world as they reached the NCAA Final Four.

Yes, the Tigers join NCAA Basketball's elite with the help, and a very huge one at that, from their 'Big Baby,' Glen Davis.

Big Baby's momma couldn't be any happier.

She was headed to the court, to the stage, to her son, and no one was going to stop her. While LSU was celebrating its overtime win over Texas on the Georgia Dome court, Glen Davis' mother, Toyna, started making her way from the stands.

''I'm going to the court, I'm going to the court,'' she said.

Glen Davis, the man likened to a former LSU giant that goes by the name of Shaq, knows that the win was as important to his mother as to the entire basketball program.

''It means a lot for me to have her experience something like that,'' Davis said of his mother. ''She's always been a supportive person for me,'' Davis added.

The Tigers' win over Texas was so emotional that almost the entire LSU bench couldn't help themselves but grab the microphone and address the crowd. Brady spoke. Davis spoke. Darrel Mitchell spoke. They danced. They did a jig for a bit. And then the euphoria raged through the entire arena.

But of all the LSU Tigers, perhaps none was as emotional as Tyrus Thomas, LSU's shot-blocking energy guy. He climbed over the railing to hug his mother, Jessica Johnson before embracing his entire family and friends deep in the stands while his teammates were starting to cut down the nets.

Tyrus Thomas was on such a high that he did an emotional Cal Ripken impersonation, running around the court and high-fiving nearly every fan who was draped over the railing.

It was such a huge night for the LSU Tigers. However, the war has only begun as the NCAA Final Four is now completed. LSU could just be the darkhorse to win it all and with the Shaq-like presence of Glen Davis, they could very well be a huge one.

Who will be the NCAA March Madness Bracket Kings among this year's NCAA Final Four? The Florida Gators are 7/4 favorites, George Mason and UCLA are 15/4 and 13/4 respectively to become champions while, perhaps the biggest darkhorse of them all, the LSU Tigers, have 12/5 odds of winning the NCAA Championship. Place your bets at Bodog today.

Amare Stoudemire Returns

2006-03-24T00:24:00.000-08:00

Steve Nash is currently doing a spectacular job.

Nash led the Phoenix Suns to become one of the best teams, not only in the Western Conference, but in the entire NBA as well.

Now, they just got a whole lot better.

Yes, Amare Stoudemire is back.

The Suns are already a title contender without Amare as Steve Nash gave his teammates all the good looks they want. Hell, Nash even made Tim Thomas a solid scorer again.

Stoudemire was an All-Star last season, averaging 26 points per game and helping the Suns to 62 wins and an appearance in the Western Conference finals.

With the Suns leading the Pacific Division, there were questions about bringing back Stoudemire from such a serious procedure.

Stoudemire himself was uncertain about his return. There also were issues of incorporating Stoudemire into the run-and-gun offense of the Suns, who often play with France's Boris Diaw at center and frustrate foes with speed.

Although the Blazers may not have been a good barometer, Stoudemire fit right in. He started at power forward and made 7-of-14 shots, although he relied primarily on his jumper and appeared tentative at times.

There is no doubt that Amare Stoudemire became the focal point of the Suns offense. Phoenix, with scorching Suns leading the franchise to a title shot in June, will just get better with the return of a supernova.

Bodog has the odds on who will win this year's hardwood battles in the NBA. Check out Bodog and place your bets today.

Shawn Kemp is Ready to Return in the NBA

2006-03-22T22:08:00.000-08:00

Perhaps no one in the NBA has dunked the basketball harder than ''The Rain Man'' Shawn Kemp.

Yes, a few others comes into mind like Shaquille O'Neal, Vince Carter and of course, LeBron James. However, in his heydays with Seattle, ''The Rain Man'' Shawn Kemp can dunk the basketball hard in an era where hook shots, reverse lay-ups and fade-away jumpers are already SportsCenter material.

Shaq, Carter and LeBron are dunking in an era where a two-handed slam dunk is boring.

Now, after three years away from the league, ''The Rain Man'' is ready to have another shot in dunking the ball on this brand new era of the LeBrons and the Carters.

Shawn Kemp is fueling a comeback.

Kemp, at 36 years of age, voluntarily retired from the Orlando Magic in 2003 because of weight issues. His last NBA Season saw him weigh as much as 320 pounds.

Now, he said he has slimmed down to a 270-pound frame and is ready for another shot in the NBA.

''I've sat out this whole season to get in tip top shape to make a comeback,'' Shawn Kemp said.

The former All-Star faced troubles other than weight loss during his career, which began when he was drafted by Seattle in 1989. He took a leave of absence during the 2000-01 season to enter a substance abuse program and violated the league's anti-drug policy three times.

Most recently, a Seattle judge sentenced him in May 2005 to five days of electronic home monitoring, a year's probation and a $440 fine after he pleaded guilty to attempted possession of more than 40 grams of marijuana.

Now, Shawn Kemp claims his days as a druggie is over and is ready to slam that basketball down with tremendous intensity. I am certainly rooting for him to do just that.

Bodog has the odds on who'll be this year's NBA Champions. Will it be those Texans from San Antonio or will the Detroit Pistons destroy Tony Parker's French behind? Log on and visit Bodog now.

NY Knicks Got Frye-d By Toronto Raptors

2006-03-22T00:21:00.000-08:00

Their present in tatters, the New York Knicks watched their future tumble into a heap last night. So it seems the season can, in fact, get worse.

Channing Frye, the Knicks' top draft pick and their brightest prospect, injured his left knee and collapsed in the fourth quarter of a 114-109 loss to the Toronto Raptors at Madison Square Garden.

Frye needed two people to help him off the court, and he left the arena on crutches, his knee enclosed in a large brace.

The initial diagnosis was a sprain, but more tests, including a magnetic resonance imaging examination, are scheduled for this morning. Frye will not be with the team for tonight's game at Orlando.

It was as somber an image the Knicks have faced all season, perhaps even worse than their 19-47 record. Frye, the eighth overall pick last June, is a gifted shooter and athlete. He is considered the franchise's greatest hope, and has been deemed untouchable in trade talks.

The cruelest part of the incident was that it was caused by the Knicks' other top rookie, Nate Robinson. Toronto's Andre Barrett had sped past Robinson into the lane. Robinson, in a desperate move, slapped at the ball, then shoved Barrett in the back.

"I tried to steal the ball," Robinson said. "It definitely wasn't on purpose."

Barrett stumbled, and his left shoulder slammed into Frye's left knee. Frye collapsed on top of Barrett under the basket, and neither player immediately moved. On the bench, Malik Rose cringed and grabbed his own knee. It looked that bad.

"I definitely took full responsibility of what I did," Robinson said. "I've been in there 100 times to make sure he's O.K. He's not mad, but hopefully it's minor. I would hate for me to be the one to hurt his career or anything like that."

"I've seen a lot of these things happen. Think about what this franchise went through, with Allan and Penny and Antonio," Knicks coach Larry Brown said referring to Allan Houston, Penny Hardaway and Antonio McDyess, all of whom sustained devastating knee injuries.

Bodog has the best odds on the latest hoop wars in the NBA. The NBA Playoffs are almost here. Who's your bet to win it all? Bet on Bodog now before it's too late.

The NBA's ''Other'' Wallace is not a Piston

2006-03-21T23:33:00.000-08:00

The Forward. That position in basketball changed throughout the years, now we have power forwards and small forwards. We even have point forwards in the NBA, as popularized by Phil Jackson.

But of all the forwards in the league, who is moving forward this year?

Gerald Wallace.

Gerald Wallace has been playing under the radar this year, and I'm sure none of you knew that he is having an All-Star-like season with the Charlotte Bobcats.

Wallace is still improving, as well. He's only 23 years old and is really in only his second season of action, because he spent three seasons at the end of Sacramento's bench before the Bobcats stole him in the expansion draft.

Aside from carrying the ''Wallace'' name, Gerald Wallace can come up with at least two SportsCenter-quality plays any given night. He's fast, can play defense and he can jump.

I don't know what the Sacramento Kings were thinking when they decided to bury him deep on the bench.

Gerald Wallace, as of press time, leads the league in steals and is among the top ten shot blockers of the NBA this season. Tough break for the Kings, what a steal for the Charlotte Bobcats.

Bodog has the best odds on the latest hoop wars in the NBA. The NBA Playoffs are almost here. Who's your bet to win it all? Bet on Bodog now before it's too late.

Moore Help Coming for Bearcats on Tuesday

2006-03-20T22:43:00.000-08:00

Chadd Moore was rooting for his University of Cincinnati teammates on Friday night, that's what you do, but he also had a more selfish reason, he wanted to play at least one more game.

Had the Bearcats lost to Charlotte in the first round of the National Invitational Tournament on Friday, Moore's career would have been over with him limited to just a cheerleader role on the sideline because of his chronic back injury.

''Sitting out there I was thinking I could help if I was all right, but I had no control. I was just sitting there and hoping and praying and cheering,'' Moore said after Sunday's short workout.

Now with another game and more time to rest his ailing back, Moore said Sunday he should be ready for Tuesday's second-round NIT game against Minnesota at Fifth Third Arena.

''By Tuesday, I should be all the way back,'' Moore said.

Moore's back problems are nothing new. He left the team last season because of his back and thought his career was over then. However, the rest served him well and he returned for his senior season.

After sitting out the first five games because of his participation in a summer league, Moore played in all 26 of the Bearcats' games before Friday night's game against the 49ers.

Moore averaged a career-high 18.6 minutes a game and is averaging 3.3 points, 2 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. Moore's started six games, including the Bearcats' regular-season finale against West Virginia, in which he played a season-high 33 minutes. He had a season-high 14 points against Villanova.

Still, on Thursday his back had tightened up on him and then Friday he knew he just couldn't play.

''It was tough to make a decision on not playing,'' Moore said. ''I know if I would have played, I would have done nothing but hurt my team. I couldn't help my team. So I had to be a man about it and make a decision and sit out.''

Check out Bodog for more odds on this year's NCAA wars. Bodog has the best odds, not only on the March Madness but in the entire world of basketball. Log on and check them out now, only in Bodog.

The Detroit Pistons Losing Their Swagger?

2006-03-20T22:14:00.000-08:00

Plummeting down. That's exactly what's happening with the Detroit Pistons in ESPN's NBA Power Rankings. Yes, they are the same team who flirted with a 70-win season this year and with the looks of things, they won't be able to get to that plateau.

The Pistons might not even have the overall home court advantage if they don't get their act together, quick.

The Pistons, as of press time, are 52-13. Yes, they are still the team with the best record in the entire NBA, but with only a half game lead over the defending NBA Champions, San Antonio Spurs, and a one game lead over Dirk Nowitzki and the red-hot Dallas Mavericks, that lead can disintegrate in a heartbeat.

Losing to the lowly New York Knicks is certainly unacceptable. They have a coach-player feud going on in there and the Pistons still got beat.

With the said loss, the Pistons dropped from No.1 to No.3 while the Spurs and the Mavericks took 1 and 2 respectively. Losing to the Knicks, probably the worst team in the NBA right now, is a two-point penalty for sure.

The San Antonio Spurs, with the way they are playing as of late, can snatch home court advantage away from these slumping Pistons.

The Spurs' win over Steve Nash and his Phoenix Suns certainly proves the fact that they are slowly but surely, trying to get back in top form as the NBA Playoffs draw near. Their win over Phoenix proved that they are certainly the ''Best in the West.''

The Spurs only lost six times in the Western Conference. Scary.

As for the Mavericks, their bench is so deep and so good that it just doesn't matter who coaches them. Ex-coach Don Nelson stepped down last year and Avery Johnson took over. Now, Johnson is probably leading all candidates for ''Coach of the Year'' honors.

Check out Bodog for more odds on this year's NBA hoop wars. Bodog has the best odds, not only on this year's March Madness but in the entire world of basketball. Log on and check them out now, only in Bodog.