NCAA Basketball Betting: Kentucky vs Tennessee

Courtesy of OddsShark.com The Kentucky Wildcats and the Tennessee Volunteers will both be trying to pick up a win on Saturday when they battle at Thompson-Boling Arena. Odds aren't yet posted for this game, so check back later for the opening line and total. Kentucky clawed their way out to an 11 point lead en route to an 82-61 victory over South Carolina on Thursday. Kentucky covered the 16-point spread, while the 143 points went UNDER the posted total of 146. Patrick Patterson led Kentucky with 23 points and eight rebounds, while DeMarcus Cousins added 19 points in the win. Scotty Hopson dropped 20 points for Tennessee in its 75-62 loss to Florida on Tuesday night. Florida covered as 2.5-point home favorites, while the teams played OVER the 136.5-point total listed by oddsmakers. Current streak: Kentucky has won 8 straight games. Team records: Kentucky: 27-1 SU, 15-11 ATS Tennessee: 20-7 SU, 10-13-1 ATS Kentucky most recently: When playing on Saturday are 6-4 Before playing Georgia are 5-5 After playing South Carolina are 6-4 After a win are 9-1 Tennessee most recently: When playing on Saturday are 8-2 Before playing Arkansas are 9-1 After playing Florida are 8-2 After a loss are 6-4 A few trends to consider: Kentucky is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games Kentucky is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Tennessee Kentucky is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games on the road Kentucky is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games Tennessee is 16-1 SU in its last 17 games at home The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Tennessee's last 7 games at home The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Tennessee's last 5 games when playing Kentucky The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tennessee's last 5 games when playing at home against Kentucky Next up: Kentucky at Georgia, Wednesday, March 3 Tennessee home to Arkansas, Wednesday, March 3

Syracuse vs. Villanova

Senior Handicapper Matt Rivers has a free pick on Villanova plus the points. They are at Syracuse getting 5.5.

Syracuse has been great this season and at the Carrier Dome should be able to beat anybody. But to get Jay Wright's also great Wildcats plus a handful at any time is just a no-brainer that cannot be passed up.

Villanova is a team that has a legitimate shot to win it all this season. Syracuse does too with that great matchup zone but this game really is pretty even as both teams have been targeting this game for a while now. Could Andy Rautins bomb away and the Orangemen win this thing by eight? Sure they could. But Scottie Reynolds could also be the best player on the court and the visiting Wildcats could win by eight as well.

Both of these teams won at West Virginia and both have proven to be the elite in the elite Big East Conference. The road has not been all that dreadful for either of these teams so I don't really see it being a huge disadvantage here for the visitors.

As we saw last year in the tournament run the Wildcats are a very deep and athletic team that completely embarrassed both Duke and UCLA. This team is well coached and overall no joke that will not just crap in their pants in a big spot.

There is not much at all that I can criticize Jim Boeheim and his squad for, as they are a gaudy 26-2 overall and 13-2 in-conference. 'Cuse though, when push comes to shove is not as deep and athletic as the 'Cats and even at home are going to be in for a back and forth fight until the bitter end.

This is going to be a battle of the heavyweights and in the end can go either way so I'm fine with an upper echelon team plus the points.

The pick: Villanova +5.5 at Bodog

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NBA Betting – Grizzlies, Knicks set for shootout

Online betting players should check the total in their sportsbook for Saturday's game between Memphis and New York, two teams that struggle on the defensive end of the floor, but have no problem at the other end.

Grizzlies vs Knicks odds – Saturday, February 27, 7:30 PM ET

The Grizzlies had alternated wins and losses since the All-Star break ahead of Friday's game at home against Charlotte, and after a tough one-point loss to the Lakers, the Grizzlies came away with a 99-94 win in Washington on Wednesday, and they proved that they could play defense when they want to. Zach Randolph led the way with 22 points, while Rudy Gay and Marc Gasol had 20 apiece for the Grizzlies, who are reportedly sending Hasheem Thabeet, the No.2 pick in last year's draft, to the D-League. Thabeet was supposed to come in and help the Grizzlies with their defensive play, given that he was a beast of a shotblocker at UConn, but it hasn't translated to the pros.

The Knicks will also play on Friday, in Washington, and they'll be hoping to have an eight-game losing skid stopped by the time Memphis comes to town. The Knicks fell 110-106 in Boston on Tuesday night, and ironically, it was the first game for Nate Robinson in a Boston uniform after the Knicks traded him to Beantown. David Lee had 28 points and 15 boards for the Knicks, and Tracy McGrady didn't have a good game, going 3-of-8 for six points, although he did add eight assists. We have to remember that McGrady has played sparingly over the last two years because of his knee injury, and he'll be better once he gets his legs back. It won't matter, though, because the Knicks just can't stop anyone on defense.

US sportsbook odds (US sportsbook review) should favor the Knicks at home, and these two have split their last 10 meetings. This is their first meeting of the season, and you have to think the over is a good play based on defensive numbers: as of Thursday, the Grizzlies had allowed 103.1 points per game, while the Knicks have given up 104.2 points. The Grizzlies have shown they can play defense, and not only against teams like Washington, who was missing Josh Howard and have basically thrown in the towel on the season, but they kept it close with the Lakers before a last-second dagger from Kobe Bryant. The Knicks just try to outscore you, and sooner or later, you're going to have to play defense, which this New York team doesn't even seem interested in. The Grizzlies have further to travel after Friday's game in Charlotte, but Madison Square Garden tends to bring out the best in the opposition, and Randolph would love to stick it to his former team.

NBA betting pick: Memphis 

Matt Rivers Sports Picks College Basketball Spreads

As dominant as the USA's hockey team first period against Finland was, that's what Matt Rivers has done to the sportsbook.  Rivers was the winningest handicapper ever—nobody came close—on a large network of sites before coming to the show.

Tonight he has Brown plus the points. They are getting 16 points at Harvard according to the Olympic odds.

Here is what Rivers says:  

Harvard is a very very good Ivy League team that has proven a ton to me this season. They have played legitimate teams and held their own including upsetting Boston College and staying toe-to toe with UCONN. Tommy Amaker has really built up this program and right now they are second best in the conference behind only Cornell. They did lose to Princeton as the Tigers are pretty good themselves but the Crimson are still the superior team of those two.

Harvard is well superior to tonight's opponent in Brown but this number just feels a little too large to me. The Bears are mediocre at best and a middling squad in this conference but they just shocked Princeton on the road as a very similar pup and should be feeling alright about themselves here.

The Bears have won two in a row, to start this four game road trip, and three of their last four with the only defeat coming at home against Harvard setting up a potential for payback right here. No I don't think we will see an outright but that five game losing streak is a thing of the past and Jesse Agel's team seems to be coming around a bit of late.

There is no doubt that Jeremy Lin is the best player on the court and he should score his usual 20 or so but in the end this price seems to be a little too steep. The Crimson should roll but something in the range of 68-60.

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CR Johnson Killed; ESPN Falls Prey to Brian Westbrook Hoax

The Olympic odds continue today from Vancouver. Bodog has odds posted on the TNT double-header plus all the ESPN family of networks games.

Sports headlines…

X-games skier CR Johnson was killed in a fall at Squaw Valley. Johnson was 26…SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau was killed during a show by a shamu killer whale. She was 40 years old…ESPN was a victim of a hoax by a caller pretending to be Brian Westbrook. The four-letter evil empire which suspended host Tony Kornheiser for joking about the wardrobe of Hannah Storm, looked borderline moronic when they allowed the prankster on the air.

Sportsbook odds are posted for men's hockey semi-final action. The Finland vs. United States odds has the USA at -174 while Slovakia-Canada has the Canadians at -875.

Free sports picks…

OffshoreInsiders.com Senior Handicapper, Generation Zero tipster Matt Rivers has Arizona State -2.5 at Stanford.

Stanford has been alright at home this season and Green and Fields are quality players but when push comes to shove right now I can't help but back the more talented and superior Sun Devils, even on the road here as the dreaded road chalk.

Arizona State has not exactly overachieved this season but when you lose great players in Harden and Pendergraph that is hard to do. Herb Sendek's team has been pretty good though at 19-8 is still not terrible and at 9-5 in the Pac-10 these guys are right there at the top looking for the conference title, just a half game behind Cal. Derek Glasser is your typical solid point guard that has experience and can get the job done and Abbott, Kuksiks and Boateng are quality players who can fill it up.

ASU has now won three in a row and five of six including four of the last five away from Tempe. Just the other day Sendek's squad outclassed Arizona in Tucson and is coming into Palo Alto playing quite possibly their best ball of the year and with a ton of momentum.

Stanford at home should be good enough to compete here and they have actually won two straight and three of four. Johnny Dawkins' team has some upside to be a little bit dangerous as any team does that boasts two talented scorers but the Cardinal are going nowhere this season and are in too tough of a spot today.

The Pick: Arizona State at SportsBook The final score will be 64-57 in favor of the Sun Devils.

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Denver Nuggets (-5.5) at Golden State Warriors – 10:30 p.m. ET

Denver (37-19, 26-27-3 ATS) has cooled off in February, going 4-4 in its last eight games. The results have been nearly identical against the spread at 4-3-1 during that same stretch. The Nuggets have done a solid job covering on the road; although they1-1-1 ATS in their past three road games, they've gone a solid 5-3-2 against the point spread in their past 10 games away from home.

Golden State (16-40, 31-24-1 ATS) has won just three times in its past 10 games, but the Warriors have been slightly better against the spread, covering half of those games. Playing at Oracle Arena hasn't helped much—Golden State is 4-6 against the spread in its past 10 home games, though it's a slightly improved 3-2 in its past five.

While Denver has dominated the head-to-head series, winning eight of 10, Golden State has managed a 5-5 split against the spread. Both teams like to run wild but, at least compared to the Warriors, Denver has some semblance of a defense.

Pick: Denver -5.5 at Bodog

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Top betting trends…

All records are against the spread. In the NBA, Denver Nuggets are 10-0-1 with three or more days rest. The Minnesota Timberwolves have covered seven straight to the Northwest Division.

 

NBA Betting – Cavs, Celtics renew hostilities on Thursday

Cleveland is still the online betting favorite in the NBA's Eastern Conference, but they know they may have to contend with Boston at some point, and no matter how many people say they're aging and over the hill, the Celtics are a team no one wants to face the postseason. The Celtics will welcome the Cavs to Boston on Thursday night in the opening game of TNT's weekly double-header.

Cavaliers vs Celtics odds – Thursday, February 25, 8:00 PM ET

The Cavaliers (44-14) ended a three-game skid with a 105-95 win over New Orleans on Tuesday night, and for once, they got a balanced performance on the offensive end as six players reached double figures. LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal had 20 points apiece, while James added 13 assists and five rebounds for the Cavaliers, who had just eight turnovers and shot 48.8% from the floor. Antawn Jamison is getting more comfortable with his new teammates, as he had 18 points and six rebounds, and if the Cavaliers can continue to get this kind of support from the secondary players, that makes James even more dangerous.


The Celtics (36-19) have a new face of their own, Nate Robinson, and he made his debut against the team that traded him, New York, after missing all three games since the All-Star break with the flu. Robinson had just four points in 16 minutes of a 110-106 win for Boston over the Knicks on Tuesday. All five Boston starters reached double digits, led by Ray Allen's 24 points, and the veteran has been on fire lately, averaging 21.8 points over his last five games. Allen was the subject of trade rumors right up until the deadline, and the Celtics may have picked up Robinson in case the 34-year-old continued to struggle. We're betting management is happy they didn't move him.

These two haven't played since opening night, when the Celtics pulled out a 95-89 win in Cleveland behind 23 points from Paul Pierce. James had 38 points and eight assists in the loss for the Cavaliers, who have dropped three of their last five overall to the Celtics. Cleveland have dropped their last nine in Beantown, and four of those have been by five points or less. The Celtics have been rolling since the All-Star break, and they'll only get better as Robinson gets used to the system in Boston, as it's definitely more disciplined than the run-and-gun way in New York under Mike D'Antoni. The Cavaliers are coming off disappointing road losses Charlotte and Orlando, and this will be the first half of an away back-to-back as they head to Toronto on Friday night. Look for James to do everything he can do to end the Boston jinx, with help from Jamison, who will go at Kevin Garnett.

NBA betting pick: Cleveland

Russia-Canada Bet Odds

Jonas Hiller was the pillar, but Miller won the thriller. The rest is mere filler. So let me go to the distiller get something to put in the chiller to watch during the Canada-Russia battle of gorilla vs. gila. 

The latest Olympic odds for Canada vs. Russia is the Canucks -150 at Bodog

 

Lakers v. Mavericks ESPN Picks

The Olympic odds are red hot for Olympic figure skating and hockey as the USA is ready to take on Switzerland and the Canada-Russia game will have the Great White North glued to their televisions.

It's the Los Angeles Lakers at Dallas Mavericks with ESPN odds having the Mavericks (-1.5) – 9:00 p.m. ET. Super hot ScoresOddsPicks has a premium pick winner on that game.

The Lakers (43-14, 25-31-2 ATS) had been without Kobe Bryant (ankle) for five straight games but they still managed a 4-1 run biting the books like a woodlouse spider. They weren't quite as good against the spread in that stretch, though, going 3-2. Kobe returned to the Los Angeles lineup last night against the Grizzlies and delivered in dramatic fashion; he scored 32 points, including the game-winning three-pointer with 4.3 seconds left. It wasn't enough to cover for NBA betting fans, though. Los Angeles has been great on the road, going 6-3-1 ATS in its last 10 games away from home.

Dallas (36-21, 23-34 ATS) has collected four consecutive victories straight up. Results were mixed against NBA odds, with a 2-2 record against the spread; the Mavericks haven't been very good at all over their past 10 games ATS (3-7). With Josh Howard gone, though, perhaps the team can move on from all the distractions and just play good basketball. Unfortunately, the Mavs have played horrendous basketball at home; Dallas is 1-9 against the point spread in its past 10 games at American Airlines Center.

Los Angeles has owned this series straight up, winning eight of 10, but it's been another story on NBA lines. The Mavericks hold a slight 5-4-1 edge against the spread in their last 10 games against L.A. The Lakers have won two straight, though, and with Kobe back and in fine form, bet on Los Angeles to keep rolling on the road.

Bet sports picks: Los Angeles Lakers

Sports Handicapper Matt Rivers Free Pick

Sports bettors mourn the death of fan favorite Mosi Tatupu and the Olympic odds focuses on Winter Olympics hockey lines of Switzerland vs. USA and Canada vs. Russia, but don't forget basketball betting.

Matt Rivers, Senior Sports Handicapper at OffshoreInsiders.com has a free sports pick on Maryland minus the points. They are laying 4.5 hosting Clemson at SportsBook

Rivers says: Just too many factors in the corner of the Turtle here to not back them a little.

For one the Terrapins have a score to settle after losing an ugly slugfest about a month ago at Littlejohn. Neither team played particularly well that night and the Tigers were able to score a little bit late as Gary Williams' squad did not score in the game's final four minutes.

Back home you have to flat out fear the turtle right now. Oliver Purnell's Tigers do defend very well but besides Trevor Booker and maybe Demontez Stitt I'm not all impressed with Clemson offensively. To think they are going to be able to keep pace with Greivis Vasquez and the Terps at Cole Fieldhouse does not seem very realistic to me.

Maryland is a great team when at home. They did not play one of their better games the other day but still managed to nail the three at the buzzer to upend a game Georgia Tech squad. Riding that momentum and having some revenge should be able to keep the Terps' players extremely focused tonight.

Williams has an experienced team with Vasquez, Milbourne, Hayes and Mosley and these guys have pretty much blown out all comers at home, save the Yellow Jackets, ever since the William & Mary debacle much earlier in the season. I'm talking about 20-25 point burials in front of their home fans and I can't help but believe that history repeats itself tonight. The pick: Maryland -4 at Bodog

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ESPN2 NCAA Basketball Odds: Idaho vs New Mexico State

The Idaho Vandals and the New Mexico State Aggies will both be trying to pick up a win on Wednesday when they battle at Pan American Center. Odds aren't yet posted for this game, so check back later for the opening line and total. Current streak: New Mexico State has won 2 straight games. Team records: Idaho: 13-13 SU, 9-11 ATS New Mexico State: 17-9 SU, 12-9 ATS Idaho most recently: When playing on Wednesday are 3-7 Before playing Louisiana Tech are 3-7 After playing Long Beach State are 2-8 After a loss are 5-5 New Mexico State most recently: When playing on Wednesday are 2-8 Before playing Boise State are 8-2 After playing Pacific are 6-3 After a win are 7-3 A few trends to consider: The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Idaho's last 5 games when playing New Mexico State Idaho is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing New Mexico State Idaho is 1-11 SU in its last 12 games when playing New Mexico State Idaho is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against New Mexico State New Mexico State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Idaho New Mexico State is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games when playing Idaho New Mexico State is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games at home New Mexico State is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games Next up: Idaho at Louisiana Tech, Saturday, February 27 New Mexico State home to Boise State, Saturday, February 27

ESPN2 NCAA Basketball Odds: Oklahoma State vs Texas

Courtesy of OddsShark.com The Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Texas Longhorns will both be trying to pick up a win on Wednesday when they battle at Frank Erwin Center. Odds aren't yet posted for this game, so check back later for the opening line and total. Oklahoma State got an important resume win over Baylor, 82-75, at Gallagher-Iba Arena Saturday. OSU covered as a 2.5-point home favorite while the final score played OVER the 143-point total. Texas suffered numerous injuries but escaped with a 71-67 win over Texas Tech at United Spirit Arena Saturday. Texas Tech covered as a 6.5-point home underdog while the final score played UNDER the 155-point total. Current streak: Oklahoma State has won 3 straight games. Team records: Oklahoma State: 19-7 SU, 12-7-1 ATS Texas: 21-6 SU, 10-13 ATS Oklahoma State most recently: When playing on Wednesday are 5-5 Before playing Kansas are 7-3 After playing Baylor are 5-5 After a win are 7-3 Texas most recently: When playing on Wednesday are 8-2 Before playing Texas A&M are 9-1 After playing Texas Tech are 6-4 After a win are 6-4 A few trends to consider: The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Oklahoma State's last 8 games when playing Texas The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Oklahoma State's last 8 games when playing on the road against Texas Oklahoma State is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games The total has gone OVER in 5 of Oklahoma State's last 7 games Texas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Oklahoma State Texas is 16-2 SU in its last 18 games at home Texas is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing Oklahoma State The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Texas's last 8 games when playing Oklahoma State Next up: Oklahoma State home to Kansas, Saturday, February 27 Texas at Texas A&M, Saturday, February 27

ESPN2 NCAA Basketball Odds: Pittsburgh vs Notre Dame

Courtesy of OddsShark.com The Pittsburgh Panthers and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will both be trying to pick up a win on Wednesday when they battle at Joyce Center. Odds aren't yet posted for this game, so check back later for the opening line and total. Pittsburgh defeated Villanova 70-65 as a 2.5-pount underdog on Sunday. The combined score fell UNDER the posted over/under total (146.5). Ashton Gibbs poured in a game-high 21 points for Pittsburgh and Gilbert Brown added 16 points in the win. Notre Dame lost to Louisville 91-89 in double overtime as an 11.5-point underdog on Wednesday. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (146.5). Tim Abromaitis led Notre Dame with 29 points and Ben Hansbrough had 21 points. Current streak: Pittsburgh has won 5 straight games. Notre Dame has lost 3 straight games. Team records: Pittsburgh: 21-6 SU, 14-8-2 ATS Notre Dame: 17-10 SU, 10-10-1 ATS Pittsburgh most recently: When playing on Wednesday are 5-5 Before playing St. John's are 7-3 After playing Villanova are 6-4 After a win are 8-2 Notre Dame most recently: When playing on Wednesday are 6-4 Before playing Georgetown are 6-4 After playing Louisville are 3-2 After a loss are 6-4 A few trends to consider: Pittsburgh is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games Pittsburgh is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Notre Dame The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games on the road Pittsburgh is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games on the road Notre Dame is 21-3 SU in its last 24 games at home The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Notre Dame's last 6 games at home Notre Dame is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh Notre Dame is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games Next up: Pittsburgh at St. John's, Saturday, February 27 Notre Dame at Georgetown, Saturday, February 27

ESPN NCAA Basketball Odds: Florida State vs North Carolina

Courtesy of OddsShark.com The Florida State Seminoles and the North Carolina Tar Heels will both be gunning for a victory on Wednesday when they meet at Dean Smith Center. Odds aren't yet posted for this game, so check back later for the opening line and total. Florida State defeated Virginia 69-50 as a pick'em on Wednesday. The combined score fell UNDER the posted over/under total (126). Chris Singleton netted 12 points for Florida State and Luke Loucks added 11 points in the win. North Carolina continues to struggle in ACC play, falling 71-67 to Boston College at the Silvio O. Conte Forum Saturday. Boston College covered as a 3-point home favorite while the final score played UNDER the 143.5-point total. Current streak: Florida State has won 2 straight games. North Carolina has lost 2 straight games. Team records: Florida State: 19-7 SU, 7-14 ATS North Carolina: 14-13 SU, 7-17 ATS Florida State most recently: When playing on Wednesday are 7-3 Before playing Clemson are 7-3 After playing Virginia are 2-8 After a win are 6-4 North Carolina most recently: When playing on Wednesday are 9-1 Before playing Wake Forest are 8-2 After playing Boston College are 7-0 After a loss are 4-6 A few trends to consider: Florida State is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing North Carolina Florida State is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against North Carolina Florida State is 16-6 SU in its last 22 games The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Florida State's last 9 games The total has gone UNDER in 5 of North Carolina's last 5 games at home The total has gone UNDER in 11 of North Carolina's last 12 games North Carolina is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games when playing Florida State North Carolina is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Florida State Next up: Florida State home to Clemson, Sunday, February 28 North Carolina at Wake Forest, Saturday, February 27

NBA Game Preview – Lakers-Mavericks Preview

 This Wednesday we have a matchup of two of the best teams in the Western Conference when the Los Angeles Lakers travel to Dallas to take on Dirk Nowitzki and the revamped Mavericks. Kobe Bryant will be back in action after sitting out for the last couple of weeks for this possible preview of a playoff series.

Los Angeles Lakers (42-14, 1^st in Western Conference) @ Dallas Mavericks (36-21, 4^th in Western Conference)

NBA odds (*note lines are approximations as they have not been posted at the time of writing)

Spread: Even (0)

Total: 203

Money Lines: Off

Why LA will win

The Lakers had to play without Kobe Bryant for the last five games. They did not slow down without him going 4-1 with their only loss coming against Boston, and it was a one point loss (87-86 in LA). That being said, having Kobe back is just going to make them better. Kobe is having another fantastic year averaging 28 points, 4.6 assists and 5.3 rebounds a game. Kobe will get a chance to shake the rust off against the sliding Grizzlies Tuesday night before this big game in Dallas. LA's twin towers attack of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum is devastating to most teams, especially ones that lack interior size. Gasol has shown he is one of the best in the game averaging 17.2 points and 11.4 rebounds a game. Gasol's experience and skill are perhaps more irrerplaceable than Kobe's production on this team. F Lamar Odom is still among the league's best per minute performers and can either start or come off the bench as a sixth man and dominate. Odom is too good all on his lonesome for some teams to handle. With Ron Artest's defensive prowess hanging tough at SF, teams without blazing quickness have trouble scoring against the Lakers. If there was a weakness to the reigning champions, it is the point guard position. Derek Fisher appears to have already retired, although he doesn't know it yet and Jordan Farmar has improved, but still lacks defense and consistency from three point range (36.5%). Neither of the two can play defense and any team with a speedy point guard will see tremendous production from that player. The Mavs however do not have a speedy point guard (Jason Kidd) and will not be able to exploit the weakness of the Lakers.

Why Dallas will win

If the Mavericks are to be contenders this year for the championship, they are going to have to win games like this. Before the trade deadline Dallas dumped Josh Howard and Drew Gooden and got back Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood (and the corpse of DeShawn Stevenson). Butler is an athletic G/F that can get to the hoop and create his own shot. He will be guarding Kobe in this game and will have his hands full, but he will be an improvement over Josh Howard. C Brendan Haywood is the defensive juggernaut that Dallas needed. The center averages over 10 rebounds and 2 blocks a game and will have big responsibilities in this one against the Lakers' tandem of big men. F Dirk Nowitzki has had an MVP like season for the Mavericks averaging 24.7 points and 7.6 rebounds a game. A closer look behind those numbers reveals that Dirk's style of play is problematic for defenders as he has unlimited range and can get his shot at will with his seven foot frame. Expect Gasol to have to play a bit out of position covering Dirk and Artest to try to take away Dirk on the perimeter. Either way Dirk has the advantage and Bynum vs. Haywood should be a wash. Expect to see F Shawn Marion, who has been a shot in the arm for the Mavs on defense and perennial sixth man of the year candidate G Jason Terry step up and hit key shots and play solid defense. Surefire hall of fame PG Jason Kidd will have an easy time with Fisher and Farmar and the Dallas offense at home should be in full effect.

Betting Tips: Prediction

The Lakers are back to full strength and the Mavs made all the right moves at the deadline. These two teams are throwing their best lineups at each other and this game will have a playoff atmosphere about it. Expect this one to be close throughout, and maybe go to overtime. In the end, I like Dirk to win this one for the home crowd as the Mavs knock off the Lakers.

Final: Dallas 108 – LA 107 OT

Sportsbook review : This is a stay away game. You might as well flip a coin if you want to bet on this one.