With the All-Star Break upon us, we are going to take a look at all 30 teams in the NBA and issue our team-by-team basketball report cards to show which teams are on their way and which ones floundered in the first half of the season.

Eastern Conference NBA Report Cards

Miami Heat (27-7): A – The Heat are easy. They survived Dwyane Wade’s injury. They have survived all of the people that thought that LeBron James’ heart was really back in Cleveland. They’ve done it all. Simply put, this is the best team in the league, and as long as the Heat stay healthy, their fast paced style of play is certainly going to put this team in better shape come the playoffs.

Chicago Bulls (27-8): A – There were a ton of road games at the start of the year for the Bulls, and they were clearly out to do well right away. In spite of the fact the Derrick Rose has missed his share of games, Chicago has been solid this year, and there is no reason to think that this team is going to do anything less than at least make the Eastern Conference Finals this year.

Indiana Pacers (21-12): A – Be honest. You didn’t even know that the Pacers had the third best record in the East, did you? Indiana is absolutely a playoff team this year, and the addition of David West is just what the doctor ordered. The win over the Bulls at the United Center, which is still one of just the two Chicago losses at home this year, was one of the biggest victories that any team has had this year.

Orlando Magic (22-13): B- – We’re going to be rough on the Magic because we think that they have been kidding themselves. They really need to trade Dwight Howard and do it right now, or they are going to end up losing him at season’s end. At times, this team just looks downright pitiful, but at others, it looks like a bunch of world beaters. Until the Magic figure it out, they aren’t going anywhere.

Atlanta Hawks (20-14): A- – Atlanta hasn’t had Al Horford in the fold for basically the whole season, and yet the team is still firmly in the playoffs. The Hawks have big wins over the Magic and Heat this year, and those are good marks when you’re considering the fact that this team just doesn’t seem to be all that talented, especially without Horford out there.

Philadelphia 76ers (20-14): A+ – There is no team in the East that we are more impressed with than the Sixers. They have basically been leading the Atlantic Division from wire to wire, and Andre Iguodala is still not really recognized as the fantastic leader and player on both sides of the court that he is. Head Coach Doug Collins might be Coach of the Year right now.

New York Knicks (17-18): C- – Jeremy Lin is great, and he was a fantastic find, but in the end, this is still a team that just doesn’t look great. Tyson Chandler doesn’t seem to fit in, Amare Stoudemire doesn’t seem to be as athletic as he used to be, and Carmelo Anthony has had some issues meshing with Lin as well. New York just isn’t that great this year, even with Linsanity, and Head Coach Mike D’Antoni might pay the price at the end of the season for it.

Boston Celtics (15-17): F – Sorry, Beantown. Your team has been the biggest underachiever in the East this year. The C’s have some good wins, but they only have 15 victories in spite of the fact that they have already played 19 home games. This is a team that is past its prime, and GM Danny Ainge needs to make a big move, and soon or this team might not even make the playoffs.

Cleveland Cavaliers (13-18): B – We like what Cleveland has done this year. Kyrie Irving is a real ball player and it is showing, and he has helped transform a team that was a living train wreck last year into one that is going to probably get into the bottom end of the playoffs in the Eastern Conference.

Milwaukee Bucks (13-20): C – Everything is average about this Milwaukee team. So what if there are two wins over the Heat? There are only 11 wins against the rest of basketball. Without Andrew Bogut, this team just isn’t really all that great.

Detroit Pistons (11-24): D – It’s amazing how fast this team fell from one of the best in the league to one of the worst in the league. Ben Gordon was a terrible signing, and really save for the way that Greg Monroe has really quietly evolved into one of the best men in the league, there is nothing to write home about in Motown.

Toronto Raptors (10-23): C – The truth of the matter is that the Raptors have virtually no talent whatsoever. They still come out and compete on a nightly basis even without all of that talent in place, and they are still in the push for the back end of the playoffs.

New Jersey Nets (10-25): D – Sure, Brook Lopez has been hurt, but we just don’t know what this team is going to end up doing at the trade deadline. Getting Dwight Howard seems like a longshot at the deadline with Lopez still injured, and the squad can’t go into the offseason without getting anything back for Deron Williams. This could get messy in a hurry.

Washington Wizards (7-26): D- – The only reason that the Wizards don’t get an F is because they somehow have a victory over Oklahoma City.

Charlotte Bobcats (4-28): F – This is the worst team in the league both offensively and defensively. How in the heck could we give any other rating than that? Michael Jordan’s tenure with this team has been a horror, and it doesn’t seem to be getting any better any time soon.

Western Conference NBA Report Cards

Oklahoma City Thunder (27-7): A – Duh. Any time that you can feature Kevin Durant scoring 50, Russell Westbrook scoring 41, and Serge Ibaka putting together a triple-double all in the same game, you know that you are doing something right. The Thunder might be the best team in the league right now, and they are a whopping 15-1 this year at home.

San Antonio Spurs (24-10): A – We knew that the Spurs could play at home, as they left for their Rodeo Road Trip at 13-1 in San Antonio. That being said, they were an awful road team until they left for the longest road trip in basketball, and they came back as three-game leaders in the Southwest Division. Tim Duncan and the Spurs are primed for another great run this year.

Los Angeles Clippers (20-11): B- – Okay, so maybe we’re being a tad harsh on the Clips. They haven’t been good in years, and now, they are sitting atop the Pacific Division. Still, we expected more than this from this team. Chris Paul will really miss Chauncey Billups’ presence in the fold for the rest of the season, but with CP3, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan sharing the court together, this is a team that should be doing better than this.

Dallas Mavericks (21-13): B – Dirk Nowitzki was out of the lineup for some time this year, and players like Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Shawn Marion, and Lamar Odom haven’t meshed well together. Still, at 21-13, Dallas is a team to watch out for, because when it figures out how to put this all together, just as it did last year in the playoffs, it is one of the deeper teams in the league.

Houston Rockets (20-14): A – We give Head Coach Kevin McHale all of the credit in the world. The Rockets looked terrible at the outset of the year, and the trade that never did happen that would have brought Pau Gasol to town threatened to kill the team. Houston is the one team of the three that were involved in the offseason in the deal that was voided that truly lived to tell about it.

Los Angeles Lakers (20-14): D – The Lakers traded Lamar Odom for squat just before the season started, and now, they are scrambling to try to figure out what their team is going to look like. Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, and Kobe Bryant are all that the Lakers have, and if that’s the case, they probably aren’t winning the NBA title this year. This has been a brutal disappointment of a season to date.

Memphis Grizzlies (19-15): B- – The Grizz haven’t played fantastic ball all season long, but they are definitely showing some promise, especially at home. Memphis will get Zach Randolph back for the second half of the season, and that’s when we’ll see just how good this team really has the ability to be.

Portland Trail Blazers (18-16): B – The Blazers have lost Greg Oden and Brandon Roy, yet they still continue to hang around in the West. They are getting great contributions from their top seven players, and though the team doesn’t have an outstanding bench, it is a bench that is good enough to make some noise in the postseason.

Denver Nuggets (18-17): C – Denver’s depth was supposed to carry it this year, but it feels like losing Danilo Gallinari has really cost the team in a big way. There just isn’t that one scorer that is going to step up and knock down that big time shot, and it is going to really cost the Nuggets dearly if that doesn’t change in the second half of the year.

Minnesota Timberwolves (17-17): A – The T’Wolves are at .500? Really? Ricky Rubio has become a legend already in Minnesota, and Kevin Love just keeps doing his thing. This is a fun team to watch, and it will continue to be that way, and if the Timberwolves can get into the playoffs, it will be a real accomplishment, especially in the stacked West.

Utah Jazz (15-17): C – This is pretty much what we thought that we were going to get out of the Jazz this year. They’re a deep team that can play with the big boys, but the talent isn’t all that fantastic outside of Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson.

Golden State Warriors (13-17): B- – Head Coach Mark Jackson has his team playing hard, but again, what we are seeing is that there are plenty of scorers, but no real defenders for the Warriors. The time is here that Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry really need to be split up, as they are the exact same player.

Phoenix Suns (14-20): C – Even though the Suns aren’t very good, they have some good things to look at. Marcin Gortat is rounding into the big man that they thought that they were going to get with the big trade last year with the Magic, and Steve Nash is still seemingly happy. Phoenix owes it to Nash to send him to a contender this year, and it would probably help rebuild the team a bit as well if it were to happen.

Sacramento Kings (11-22): D – The Kings have done alright since Head Coach Paul Westphal was dumped, but we can’t give this team that much more credit than this because of the whole DeMarcus Cousins problem.

New Orleans Hornets (8-25): F – But then again, what did you really expect out of the Hornets this year after having to dismantle the team to get rid of Chris Paul?

Bovada.lv has a plethora of NBA props posted about the phenom that is Jeremy Lin with the New York Knicks. Today, we join in the fun of Linsanity and make our Jeremy Lin predictions for the rest of the 2012 season.

Of course, we know that the first prop that is offered by Bovada Sportsbook is a bit absurd. Lin is listed at +3000 to win the MVP Award this year. Sure, if the Knicks continue to win virtually every single game that they play with the Harvard grad running the point guard spot, Lin would all of a sudden become an MVP candidate. In the end though, this is still a team in which at best, he is going to finish third in scoring behind Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire. Linsanity is big… but it’s not quite that big.

More realistic is the prop that asks the question whether Lin will hit another game-winning shot with all zeroes on the clock like he did against the Toronto Raptors earlier this week. The odds of +350 aren’t all that great, but we definitely could see it happening. It is clear that Lin, assuming that he can keep this up, is going to have the ball in his hands in some crucial situations. There is a big question though, as to where Melo falls into place in this situation. It’s obvious to say that there aren’t that many games that come down to the wire that require a last shot to win a game. Anthony is one of the best closers that the game has had over the course of the last decade though, and if he wants the ball in his hands, he is probably going to get it. We could see this happening, but in the end, it would take a lot more luck than anything else just to get Lin in that situation for a second time this year with the ball in his hands to win a game at the gun.

And of course, the question still exists as to whether or not the Knicks are going to make the playoffs. They clearly weren’t all that great of a team before Lin came into the fold, and they haven’t lost since that point. Bovada is offering -500 on the fact that the Knicks are going to make the postseason, and we actually think that those are tremendous NBA odds.

Look at the East. The Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls are obviously fantastic teams. The Philadelphia 76ers, Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic, and Atlanta Hawks have gotten off to great starts. The Boston Celtics should at least be a competent team the rest of the way. That still leaves one more spot to be filled by the rest of the garbage that is the Eastern Conference. It is clear that the Charlotte Bobcats, Washington Wizards, New Jersey Nets, Toronto Raptors, and Detroit Pistons are going absolutely nowhere, which really just leaves the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Milwaukee Bucks to contend with the Knicks. We really don’t even need to factor in the fact that the Sixers are playing above their means, as are the Hawks, and the Magic are clearly going to be trading Dwight Howard before the end of the season as long as GM Otis Smith doesn’t fall asleep at the wheel. The Knicks virtually have to make the playoffs, and it really doesn’t even have all that much to do with Lin calling the shots. They are too talented with Melo and Amare Stoudemire to not make the postseason as long as both of these men stay healthy.

We are a quarter of the way into the NBA schedule, and here at Bankroll Sports, we are taking a look at the odds to win the MVP award in the NBA, complete with our NBA predictions for who will walk away from this season with the MVP award.

It is becoming harder and harder to argue with the success that Kobe Bryant (Current NBA MVP Odds: 2.50 to 1 at Bovada Sportsbook) has been having with the Los Angeles Lakers. Kobe leads the league in scoring by a country mile at 30.4 points per game, and at times, he is really the only offense that the Lakers have to offer. Pau Gasol hasn’t had a great season, and though Andrew Bynum has been solid since coming off of his suspension, this is still Kobe’s ball in the clutch. When Los Angeles is winning, it is Bryant that is getting the job done, and assuming that the team gets into the playoffs this year and remains competitive, he will be the league’s MVP.

Even just 16 or so games into the season, it still seems like the only man that has a shot of catching Bryant for the scoring title is LeBron James (Odds To Win NBA MVP Award: 2.50 to 1 at Bovada Sportsbook). We are interested to see whether the scoring production for James goes down dramatically when Dwyane Wade comes back from his injury. If not, James is going to be considered the MVP of the Miami Heat regardless of what Wade and Chris Bosh do, and though it is Wade’s team from a veteran leadership standpoint, the man that is always making the top plays and coming up with all of the stats is LeBron. He’s not just good for 29.8 points per game, but James is also accounting for 8.0 boards and 7.4 assists per game as well. There just isn’t a player in the league that stacks up.

It is going to be interesting to see if the Orlando Magic end up parting ways with Dwight Howard (NBA MVP Lines: 15 to 1 at Bovada Sportsbook) this season at some point. If he is dealt, and it does seem likely, Howard probably won’t stand a chance at being the league’s MVP. That being said, he is clearly the MVP on the Magic, and he is surely one of the best defensive players that the league has to offer. Simply put, there isn’t another man in the league like Howard. He is averaging a league best 16.1 rebounds per game, and he is now over 20 points per game as well. Add that to the almost 2.5 blocks per game, and you’ve really got the complete player.

If you’re looking to go just a tad off the board, why not give a look at the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Kevin Love (MVP Betting Lines: 20 to 1 at Bovada Sportsbook). Love is an interesting story. He is certainly the best player on the Timberwolves, and he has double-doubles all the time. With 14.1 rebounds per game, Love is second in the NBA in rebounding behind Howard, yet he is averaging four points per game more at 24.1. He became a hero when he hit the game-winning three point shot against the Los Angeles Clippers in a nationally televised game this past week, and with some more moments like that and some extra wins for the T’Wolves, Love could suddenly have himself a very strong MVP campaign going.

NBA MVP Odds @ Bovada Sportsbook (as of 1/22/12):
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Amare Stoudemire 30 to 1
Ben Gordon 50 to 1
Blake Griffin 15 to 1
Brandon Jennings 50 to 1
Carmelo Anthony 10 to 1
Chris Paul 5 to 1
Danny Granger 50 to 1
Deron Williams 50 to 1
Derrick Rose 5 to 1
Dirk Nowitzki 25 to 1
Dwight Howard 15 to 1
Dwyane Wade 5 to 1
Joe Johnson 50 to 1
John Wall 50 to 1
Kevin Durant 2.50 to
Kevin Love 20 to 1
Kevin Martin 50 to 1
Kobe Bryant 2.50 to 1
Kyrie Irving 100 to 1
LeBron James 2.50 to 1
Manu Ginobili 100 to 1
Monta Ellis 50 to 1
Paul Pierce 50 to 1
Rajon Rondo 30 to 1
Russell Westbrook 30 to 1
Steve Nash 50 to 1
Tony Parker 40 to 1
Zach Randolph 50 to 1

Ready to sit down and check out another NBA TV schedule this week! We are taking a look at all of the games on the NBA television schedule and checking out all of the great NBA broadcasts for the week to come!

Bold Games Denote Nationally Televised Games

Complete NBA Broadcast Schedule for Monday, January 23rd (1/23/12)
7:00 ET Washington Wizards @ Philadelphia 76ers (Comcast Sports Washington, Comcast Sports Philadelphia)
7:30 ET Orlando Magic @ Boston Celtics (Sun Sports, Comcast Sports Northeast, NBA TV
8:00 ET Houston Rockets @ Minnesota Timberwolves (FOX Sports Houston, FOX Sports North)
8:00 ET Atlanta Hawks @ Milwaukee Bucks (FOX Sports Wisconsin)
8:00 ET New Jersey Nets @ Chicago Bulls (YES, WGN)
8:00 ET San Antonio Spurs @ New Orleans Hornets (FOX Sports Southwest, Cox Sports)
8:00 ET Detroit Pistons @ Oklahoma City Thunder (FOX Sports Detroit, FOX Sports Oklahoma)
8:30 ET Phoenix Suns @ Dallas Mavericks (FOX Sports Arizona, FOX Sports Southwest)
10:00 ET Sacramento Kings @ Portland Trail Blazers (Comcast Sports California, Comcast Sports Northwest)
10:30 ET Memphis Grizzlies @ Golden State Warriors (Comcast Sports Bay Area, NBA TV)

Monday is a day that appears to be chock full of matchups. The 76ers, Bulls, Thunder, and Blazers only have a combined two losses at home between them, and they are all hosting teams that are 6-11 or worse.

On NBA TV, the Celtics will look to get back on track at the expense of an Orlando team that is 11-3 since Opening Day, while in the second half of the double dip, Golden State tries to get back on track against a Memphis team that has arguably been the hottest squad in the league.

Basketball On TV for Tuesday, January 24th (1/24/12)
7:00 ET Orlando Magic @ Indiana Pacers (FOX Sports Florida, FOX Sports Indiana)
7:00 ET New York Knicks @ Charlotte Bobcats (MSG)
7:30 ET Cleveland Cavaliers @ Miami Heat (FOX Sports Ohio, Sun Sports)
9:00 ET Toronto Raptors @ Phoenix Suns (TSN, FOX Sports Arizona)
10:00 ET Memphis Grizzlies @ Portland Trail Blazers (Comcast Sports Northwest)

There are only five games on the Tuesday NBA schedule, but there are definitely some good ones to choose from. LeBron James takes on his former mates, the Cavaliers, while the hot Grizzlies try to become just the second team to topple the Blazers at the Rose Garden this year. Orlando has a second very tough road test in as many days, as it has to play at Conseco Fieldhouse, where the Pacers are a perfect 5-0 on the season.

NBA TV Coverage for Wednesday, January 25th (1/25/12)
7:00 ET Charlotte Bobcats @ Washington Wizards (Comcast Sports Washington)
7:00 ET New York Knicks @ Cleveland Cavaliers (MSG, FOX Sports Ohio)
7:00 ET New Jersey Nets @ Philadelphia 76ers (YES, Comcast Sports Philadelphia)
7:30 ET Miami Heat @ Detroit Pistons (Sun Sports, FOX Sports Detroit)
8:00 ET New Orleans Hornets @ Oklahoma City Thunder (Cox Sports TV, FOX Sports Oklahoma)
8:00 ET Indiana Pacers @ Chicago Bulls (FOX Sports Indiana, Comcast Sports Chicago, NBA TV)
8:00 ET Milwaukee Bucks @ Houston Rockets (FOX Sports Wisconsin, FOX Sports Houston)
8:30 ET Atlanta Hawks @ San Antonio Spurs (FOX Sports Southwest)
8:30 ET Minnesota Timberwolves @ Dallas Mavericks (FOX Sports North, FOX Sports Southwest)
9:00 ET Toronto Raptors @ Utah Jazz (TSN2, FOX Sports Southwest Plus)
10:00 ET Denver Nuggets @ Sacramento Kings (Altitude, Comcast Sports California)
10:30 ET Portland Trail Blazers @ Golden State Warriors (KGW, Comcast Sports Bay Area)
10:30 ET Los Angeles Clippers @ Los Angeles Lakers (FOX Sports Pacific, FOX Sports West, NBA TV)

The battle of Tinseltown is the showcase game on the NBA TV schedule for Wednesday, as the Lakers try to avenge a loss from just a couple of weeks ago against Lob City. This isn’t nearly the only battle that could pit two playoff teams against each other on Wednesday, though.

Atlanta battles the Spurs in San Antonio at 8:30 in a game that could stretch the Spurs’ home record to a lofty 10-1 this season. The Pacers are a solid team this year, but if they are going to compete in the Central Division, they are going to have to prove that they can hang with the Bulls on their home court. Easier said than done, though. Coming into this week, Chicago hasn’t lost a game in the Windy City this year.

And of course, for those of you with nothing better to do with your Wednesdsay night, you can watch the clash between the Bobcats and the Wizards, a game that might go quite some way to determining whether one of these teams is going to have the most ping-pong balls in the next NBA Draft Lottery.

NBA TV Broadcasts for Thursday, January 26th (1/26/12)
8:00 ET Boston Celtics @ Orlando Magic (TNT)
10:30 ET Memphis Grizzlies @ Los Angeles Clippers (TNT)

Thursday is the quietest day of the NBA TV schedule to date this season with just two games, but they are two doozies. The Magic and Celtics get it on for the second time this week, but this game, the game is in Mickey Mouse’s house at the Amway Center. In the nightcap, Lob City will try to take a bit out of the Grizzlies, who enter this week as one of the hottest teams in the league.

Basketball TV Broadcasts for Friday, January 27th (1/27/12)
7:00 ET Charlotte Bobcats @ Philadelphia 76ers (Comcast Sports Philadelphia)
7:30 ET Indiana Pacers @ Boston Celtics (FOX Sports Indiana, Comcast Sports Northeast)
7:30 ET Atlanta Hawks @ Detroit Pistons (FOX Sports Detroit)
7:30 ET New Jersey Nets @ Cleveland Cavaliers (YES, FOX Sports Ohio)
8:00 ET Milwaukee Bucks @ Chicago Bulls (WCIU)
8:00 ET Washington Wizards @ Houston Rockets (Comcast Sports Washington, FOX Sports Houston)
8:00 ET New York Knicks @ Miami Heat (ESPN, Sun Sports)
8:00 ET San Antonio Spurs @ Minnesota Timberwolves (FOX Sports Southwest, FOX Sports North)
8:00 ET Orlando Magic @ New Orleans Hornets (Sun Sports, Cox Sports TV)
10:00 ET Phoenix Suns @ Portland Trail Blazers (FOX Sports Arizona, Comcast Sports Northwest, NBA TV)
10:30 ET Oklahoma City Thunder @ Golden State Warriors (NBA TV, FOX Sports Oklahoma, Comcast Sports Bay Area)

There is a big time slate of games on Friday night, though just like earlier in the week, there are a lot of games between teams that aren’t exactly evenly matched. This is the continuation of a very easy start to the week for the 76ers, who could be six or seven games up in the Atlantic Division by the time this week is said and done with… Especially if the Pacers go on the road and take down the Celtics and the Heat can hold serve at home against the Knicks also on Friday night.

Orlando visits a sad New Orleans team, while Atlanta theoretically shouldn’t have any problems with the Pistons at the Palace in Auburn Hills. Toronto has its work cut out for it going into Denver, just as the Thunder would like to think that they could have their way with the Warriors to cap off Friday night’s NBA schedule at Oracle Arena.

Basketball TV Schedule for Saturday, January 28th (1/28/12)
7:00 ET Detroit Pistons @ Philadelphia 76ers (FOX Sports Detroit, Comcast Sports Philadelphia)
7:00 ET Washington Wizards @ Charlotte Bobcats (Comcast Sports Washington)
8:00 ET New York Knicks @ Houston Rockets (MSG, FOX Sports Houston)
8:30 ET Los Angeles Lakers @ Milwaukee Bucks (KCAL, FOX Sports Wisconsin)
9:00 ET Memphis Grizzlies @ Phoenix Suns (FOX Sports Arizona)
9:00 ET Sacramento Kings @ Utah Jazz (Comcast Sports California, FOX Sports Southwest Plus, NBA TV)

For those of you that couldn’t get enough of Bobcats/Wizards the first time around, you get it again on Saturday night… All in all, this isn’t a great night of hoops. The Lakers could find themselves tested at the Bradley Center against the Bucks, while the Grizzlies hit the road to visit the Suns. The Knicks and Rockets could feature a bunch of points, while the Sixers should continue to roll at home against the Pistons.

The national game of the night features the Jazz going up against the Kings in a game that shouldn’t be all that rough. Utah is 8-2 at home coming into this week. Sacramento starts the week just 2-8 on the road.

Basketball On TV for Sunday, January 29th (1/29/12)
3:30 ET Chicago Bulls @ Miami Heat (ABC)
6:00 ET Cleveland Cavaliers @ Boston Celtics (FOX Sports Ohio, Comcast Sports Northeast)
6:00 ET Toronto Raptors @ New Jersey Nets (TSN2, YES)
6:00 ET Indiana Pacers @ Orlando Magic (FOX Sports Indiana, Sun Sports)
6:30 ET San Antonio Spurs @ Dallas Mavericks (ESPN, FOX Sports Southwest
7:00 ET Atlanta Hawks @ New Orleans Hornets (Cox Sports TV)
7:00 ET Los Angeles Lakers @ Minnesota Timberwolves (KCAL, FOX Sports North)
8:00 ET Los Angeles Clippers @ Denver Nuggets (FOX Sports Pacific, Altitude)

Kick off the last week of January with a great, great slate of games on Sunday throughout the day.

The big showcase game pits the Bulls against the Heat in a matchup that many are assuming is going to be the matchup in the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight season. Chicago has already proven that it can play on the road against some of the best teams in the game, but the Heat are a force to be reckoned with, especially if Dwyane Wade can get back in the lineup at that point.

Dallas and San Antonio are going to once again likely represent the state of Texas in the Western Conference playoffs this year, and they are going to have at it in a Texas-sized showdown on Sunday night on ESPN.

In the “undercard” games of the day, the Magic will take on the Pacers in another battle of Eastern Conference contenders, while the Nuggets and Clippers both hope to continue their great starts to the season against one another at Pepsi Arena.

The 2011-12 NBA season is underway, and here at Bankroll Sports, we are going to take a look at which rookies we think are going to have the biggest impact on their teams and can contend on the NBA Rookie of the Year odds after this tumultuous offseason.

The man that is the favorite to take down the NBA odds for rookies is Derrick Williams (Current Rookie of the Year Odds: 3.50 to 1 at Bovada Sportsbook). There is no doubt that Williams is going to be a force to be reckoned with on the inside when he is paired with the great Kevin Love with the Minnesota Timberwolves, but the question is whether there are going to be enough minutes for him to play. Williams’ role is really more or less that of a power forward, but obviously, that is the role that Love plays and plays incredibly effectively. Michael Beasley is already the small forward for this team, while there is a lot of hope for Darko Milicic in the middle. Unless the T’Wolves go really small and make Love a center, Williams is going to have to do his work in limited minutes. Still, he might be the most NBA ready player that came out of this year’s NBA Draft, so he is going to be a huge threat to be the league’s ROY.

Minutes certainly won’t be an issue for the top pick in the NBA Draft, as the Cleveland Cavaliers are going to be putting a ton of stock in Kyrie Irving (NBA Rookie of the Year Lines: 5 to 1 at Bovada Sportsbook). Irving showed a tremendous potential to get into the paint on the drive during the brief preseason, and he is only going to get better at moves like that one as the season wears on. The Cavs are incredibly void of talent, and Irving is really the best that they have. He’ll try his best to be the next LeBron James, and though we know that he will fail in that aspect, we aren’t going to take anything away from the potential that is going to have to put up just a ton of points on a regular basis.

It should be interesting to see how the Sacramento Kings use Jimmer Fredette (Current NBA Rookie of the Year Odds: 5 to 1 at Bovada Sportsbook). No one is going to underestimate Fredette’s ability to shoot the ball from anywhere on the court, but the question is whether he is going to be able to shake defenders the same way in the NBA that he did at the collegiate level. This is a totally different situation that he is in right now, and with the Kings, there really could be a lack of shots with Tyreke Evans throwing everything that he can up to the basket. A lot of this offense works through DeMarcus Cousins on the inside as well, but if the ball moves inside out, Fredette could find himself jacking up just a slew of three pointers this year. The question is whether he will ever supplant Marcus Thornton as the team’s starting shooting guard, and if he does that, Fredette could very quickly become the favorite on the Rookie of the Year odds.

NBA Rookie of the Year Odds @ Bovada Sportsbook (as of 12/23/11):
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Brandon Knight 8 to 1
Derrick Williams 3.50 to 1
Enes Kanter 5 to 1
Jan Vesely 12 to 1
Jimmer Fredette 5 to 1
Kawhi Leonard 20 to 1
Kemba Walker 8 to 1
Klay Thompson 12 to 1
Kyrie Irving 5 to 1
Marcus Morris 15 to 1
Markieff Morris 15 to 1
Norris Cole 15 to 1
Ricky Rubio 8 to 1
Tobias Harris 15 to 1
Field (Any Other Player) 5 to 1

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Dirk Nowitzki Over/Under 26 Points – It’s no real surprise that the ball is running through the hands of Dirk when the Mavericks have possession. In the Western Conference Finals, he had three games with more than 26 points, one with less than that, and one with exactly 26 points. Nowitzki has really been incredibly dominating at times, especially down the stretch in close games. There is no way that Head Coach Rick Carlisle is going to take the ball out of his hands as long as the game stays competitive, and as long as you’re a believer that this one will be interesting down to the wire, there is no way that you can do anything but go with Nowitzki Over 26 Points -115 @ 5Dimes Sportsbook

Tyson Chandler Over/Under 16.5 Points + Rebounds – Chandler had a heck of a tough battle in the second round of the playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Even still, he had at least 13 rebounds in two of the five games, and he had no fewer than eight in the series. Offensively, thing were tough with Kendrick Perkins and Nazr Mohammed on his backside, and his point production was slashed. Sure, we know that Chandler isn’t one of the top options on the floor, but he does have a lot easier time going into the paint against Joel Anthony and some of the other Miami bigs than he did in the last series. He had at least 18 points and rebounds combined in three of the final four games against the Thunder, and there is no way that we can see him not going past this number. Our NBA prop picks on this one are calling for Chandler Over 16.5 Points + Rebounds -115 @ 5Dimes Sportsbook

Shawn Marion +7.5 Points vs. Chris Bosh – This is quite the interesting prop, because we know that Bosh has had a ton of consistent games over the course of these playoffs, whereas Marion has really been hit or miss. But let’s dig just a tad further. We have seen Marion get to at least seven points in the last six games in the postseason, and we know that he averaged over a dozen points per game in the regular season. Bosh has had at least 20 points in four out of five games, and at home in these playoffs, he has really been absolutely remarkable. The difference here though, is that he is going to have his hands full with the likes of Chandler and Nowitzki in the paint. We do tend to believe that Bosh will outscore Marion, but if the vet starts to catch fire from the outside, Bosh stands no chance on this NBA prop pick. Go with Marion +7.5 Points vs. Bosh -125 @ 5Dimes Sportsbook

The stars will certainly be shining in the NBA Finals this year, but only one can be named NBA Finals MVP when push comes to shove. Check out our NBA Finals picks for MVP for this year’s finals starting on Tuesday!

It should really come as no surprise that the favorite to beat the NBA Finals MVP odds is LeBron James (Current NBA Finals Odds: 1 to 1 at Bodog Sportsbook). This is definitely a series that is fit for a King, but it definitely isn’t the first time that he has had this opportunity. James knew that he was the favorite to win on the NBA Finals MVP lines a few seasons ago with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but his team was swept by the San Antonio Spurs. James hasn’t put up the same type of numbers that he did that year in these playoffs, but there is no doubt that he has been absolutely remarkable. James has averaged just under 44 minutes per game in the postseason, and he has averaged 26.0 points, 8.9 boards, and 5.5 assists per game. He’s got a great chance to win this honorable award, but obviously, he is going to need his first NBA Championship to be able to do that.

Of course, James also has to overcome a man that has already won this award once before. In fact, Dwyane Wade (NBA Finals MVP Lines: 7 to 2 at Bodog Sportsbook) is the only player on either side in this game that has ever won the NBA Finals MVP award in his career. He did so against these Mavs in a series in which he was absolutely remarkable in five years ago. Wade isn’t asked to do quite as much as he has over the past few years since Shaquille O’Neal has aged and left town, but he definitely has the best supporting cast that he has had at least since that point, if not ever before. The man they call “Flash” has averaged 23.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.

List Of Past NBA Finals MVPs (Since 2000)
2010 NBA Finals MVP: Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)
2009 NBA Finals MVP: Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)
2008 NBA Finals MVP: Paul Pierce (Boston Celtics)
2007 NBA Finals MVP: Tony Parker (San Antonio Spurs)
2006 NBA Finals MVP: Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat)
2005 NBA Finals MVP: Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs)
2004 NBA Finals MVP: Chauncey Billups (Detroit Pistons)
2003 NBA Finals MVP: Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs)
2002 NBA Finals MVP: Shaquille O’Neal (Los Angeles Lakers)
2001 NBA Finals MVP: Shaquille O’Neal (Los Angeles Lakers)
2000 NBA Finals MVP: Shaquille O’Neal (Los Angeles Lakers)

Of course, if you’re looking at players on the Dallas Mavericks, the conversation has to start and essentially end with Dirk Nowitzki (Odds to Win NBA Finals MVP: 2 to 1 at Bodog Sportsbook). Nowitzki has really had the best season of his career both in the regular season and in the playoffs. Sure, we’ve seen Dirk put up better statistics than this in his life, but 28.4 points per game in a season in which he averaged 23.0 points per game. Nowitzki has really done a tremendous job in the postseason, taking games over single handedly at times against some of the best and brightest that this league has to offer.

The only other man that we can see getting the job done for the Mavs is Jason Terry (Current NBA Finals MVP Odds: 12 to 1 at Bodog Sportsbook), and even that would be a huge surprise if he were the one to end up winning the award. For a man to win this award off of the bench would be truly remarkable, but Terry plays the role of a starter even though he’s not on the court when the tipoff happens. Terry averaged the third most minutes in the playoffs for any Maverick at over 32 minutes per game, and he has the ability to catch fire in a ridiculous way from beyond the arc. “The Jet” shot 47.1 percent from the floor and 46.3 percent from downtown on the campaign, and he averaged 17.3 points per game. In the playoffs, this is the man that can really make a difference in a hurry for Dallas, and if it wins this series, there is no doubt that he is going to be the man that has to play above and beyond all expectations.

NBA Finals MVP Odds @ Bodog Sportsbook (as of 5/29/11):
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LeBron James 1.30 to 1
Dirk Nowitzki 1.60 to 1
Dwyane Wade 4.50 to 1
Chris Bosh 13 to 1
Jason Terry 17 to 1
Shawn Marion 28 to 1
Tyson Chandler 30 to 1

2011 NBA Finals MVP Odds @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook (as of 5/29/11):
(Get a HUGE 100% Cash Bonus at Oddsmaker.com When Using This Link)

LeBron James 1.10 to 1
Dirk Nowitzki 1.30 to 1
Dwyane Wade 4 to 1
Field (Any Other Player) 8 to 1

The Western Conference Finals really didn’t set up the way that most expert NBA handicappers envisioned this year, but there are still definitely two fantastic teams in the fold. The upstart Oklahoma City Thunder and the Dallas Mavericks would both make great feel good stories to beat the NBA Finals odds, but only one can actually get the job done and make it to the big show. Check out our NBA odds and Thunder vs. Mavericks predictions for the big time series starting on Tuesday!

NBA Series Prices
Dallas -230 vs. Oklahoma City +190 @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook
Dallas -230 vs. Oklahoma City +190 @ SportBet Sportsbook
Dallas -240 vs. Oklahoma City +190 @ Bet Online Sportsbook

Series Trends and History
The regular season this year has been one for the dogs, and one for the roadies, and there is no doubt whatsoever that this series could largely end up being the same, exact way. The Thunder won the one game here in Big D, a 99-95 decision in January, but in comes with a huge asterisk, as Dirk Nowitzki didn’t play in that one. The Thunder, with Dirk in the fold, won both contests in the Sooner State, 111-103 in November and 103-93 in December just after Christmas.

In fact, if you’re talking about a series for the dogs, this is the one for you. The underdog is 9-3-1 ATS over the course of the last 13 meetings. Of course, Oklahoma City is also 9-3-1 ATS in the last 13 meetings, though the two stats aren’t identical to one another. The Thunder have indeed been favorites at times in this series, most notably this past season in the trip to Big D without Dirk in the fold.

The Mavericks have gone 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games overall, and they are coming off of arguably the biggest series in the history of the team, a four game sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers, the two time defending NBA champs. It is 8-0 ATS in its last eight home games dating back into the regular season, and in games in which Dirk has played at least 16 minutes, the team is 62-19 SU and 50-28-3 ATS, numbers which definitely aren’t ones to frown about.

The Thunder have reached the big time stage in the Western Conference Finals for the first time since they were known as the Seattle SuperSonics (which also surpassed the day in which they were just known as the Seattle Sonics). Behind the oomph of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, they have done everything that they have needed to do to keep on keeping on in the playoffs, though it hasn’t always been the prettiest. The Thunder have covered 10 of their last 15 games on the road, and they are sure to be a thorn in Dallas’ side in this series.

Keys to the Series
Key 1: Pace – If you had talked to many NBA betting pundits at the start of the postseason, you would have thought that the Thunder would have needed to really play at a frantic pace to still be alive in the playoffs. They haven’t quite done that this year though, as they are slowing things down and really trying to capitalize on their new found bulk on the inside in trade deadline acquisitions, Kendrick Perkins and Nazr Mohammed. Dallas, on the other hand, has transformed itself from an offensive, shoot ‘em out team to one that is willing to take its time to run defensive sets and pressure ‘D’. The Mavericks have played devastating defense in this postseason, keeping the high flying Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers down to right around 88 points per game.

Key 2: Pretend Like You’ve Been There – The aforementioned Perkins might only be 26 years old, but he has a bevy of playoff experience that he has brought from his days with the Boston Celtics here to the Sooner State. Sure, his stats haven’t been great (in fact, they’re too embarrassing to even talk about), but we know that he has meant more to this team both on and off the court to measure. Perkins warned his OKC teammates that they hadn’t accomplished anything yet by going up 3-2 in the Western Conference Semifinals against the Grizz. The team came out and got blown away in the second half in Game 6 in Memphis. Now, it’s time for the big time against a big, bad Dallas team that is a heck of a lot more talented than the one on the other side of the court from this past series. If the Thunder seem content with their work, they will be dismissed from the playoffs in relatively easy fashion. They need to play like veterans in spite of the fact that they are all young and most have never been on this stage to succeed.

Key 3: Dirk Must Destroy Bad History in Big D – It’s been pretty well documented just how badly Dirk and the Mavs have struggled in the playoffs in their history. They’ve never won the NBA title. They’ve only been to the Finals once, and in that season, they choked away a 2-0 series lead to the Miami Heat in the finale. Nowitzki says that this team is better than the one that was on the court in ’06 that won it all, but regardless of that fact, there is still a heck of a lot of skepticism in Dallas. Few really believe that this really is the year that things change, especially after so many failed attempts with high hopes as well. Still, owner Mark Cuban and company would love nothing more than to finally give Dirk his ring, and the NBA betting public out there would love nothing more than to cash in with them on that quest as well.