The greatest stars in NBA betting action will all be assembled at Staples Center on Sunday night for one of the best games that the league has to offer. This year, the 2011 All Star Game odds will be contested in Tinseltown, and the game couldn’t be lined any closer than it is at a pick ‘em. Handicapping the All Star Game lines is tough, but we’ve got our top three picks for MVP picked out!

Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers (Current All Star Game MVP Odds: 4 to 1 at Hollywood Sportsbook)
Kobe is a tremendous star, and he knows what it takes to win the All Star Game MVP award. Bryant won the award in 2002 and 2007 by himself and took down half the honors in 2009, sharing the award with Shaquille O’Neal. Bryant is averaging 25.1 points per game this season, the third highest mark for any player on the Western Conference team, and only the man that we are even remotely afraid of stealing his “thunder” is Kevin Durant — as a scorer, anyway. However, when push comes to shove, Head Coach Gregg Popovich knows that the ball belongs to Kobe, especially since this is his gym that we’re all playing in. Bryant will get the most looks and the most touches, and that will probably translate into the most points if he is on his game.

Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers (Current All Star Game MVP Lines: 9 to 1 at Hollywood Sportsbook)
It seems to be a bit of a stretch to think that this rookie can come in amongst all of the big boys and win the MVP award for the All Star Game, but in all honesty, what is going to stop him? Sure, we know that there are some massive rebounders on the Eastern Conference team, but we have seen some great games before out of Griffin against the likes of Kevin Love, Dwight Howard, and the rest of the best big men in the league. Knowing, again, that this is Griffin’s home court that this game is being played on, we know that Popovich should let the hometown crowd see more of him. That means more rebounds, more scores, and most important, more amazing dunks like this one that he had in the Rookies vs. Sophomores game. If the big man can put together a few moments like that, we wouldn’t be all that surprised if he found himself ending with 20 points, 12 boards, and some hardware that rookies don’t normally get to take home from All Star weekend.

LeBron James, Miami Heat (Favorite To Win All Star Game MVP Odds: 4 to 1 at Hollywood Sportsbook)
He might not be a Cleveland Cavalier anymore, but he is still LeBron Freaking James, and the ball is still going to be in his hands when push really comes to shove and the game is on the line. Sure, Dwyane Wade, his teammate, is the man that is the defending MVP of this duel, but James is due to really light up Tinseltown in a huge way. He’s averaging 26.1 points per game this year, tied for second in the NBA, and in all likelihood, he isn’t going to be worrying about getting the ball into the paint for Amare Stoudemire or Dwight Howard all that often. The only man we’re afraid of stealing his touches down the stretch is Derrick Rose, but even then, Rose hasn’t quite been there and done that yet. If you like the Eastern Conference All Stars, you have to just love what James brings to the table at these odds.

Odds to Win 2011 All Star Game MVP @ Hollywood Sportsbook (as of 2/19/11):
(Get a HUGE 25% Bonus at Hollywood When Using This Link)

Amare Stoudemire 9 to 1
Blake Griffin 9 to 1
Carmelo Anthony 9 to 1
Chris Paul 9 to 1
Derrick Rose 6 to 1
Dirk Nowitzki 15 to 1
Dwight Howard 8 to 1
Dwyane Wade 7 to 1
Joe Johnson 15 to 1
Kevin Durant 4 to 1
Kevin Love 8 to 1
Kobe Bryant 4 to 1
LeBron James 4 to 1
Paul Pierce 15 to 1
Ray Allen 15 to 1
Field 15 to 1

It was an awkward week of sports betting action, as the start of the baseball betting season continued to cross with red hot sporting events on the ice, hardwood, and links. Here’s what we’re ranting about this week at Bankroll Sports!

Rap Sheet Picture of the Week
New York Rangers G Henrik Lundqvist, who was the losing goalie in Sunday’s elimination game for the final slot in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Tiger Woods is really getting under my skin right now, and for various reasons. Not only am I irked that the entire PGA Tour betting event this week at the Masters was covered by Tiger this and Tiger that, but I also hate how everyone said that Woods couldn’t figure out how to put this together after taking six months away from the Tour. He’s still Tiger Freaking Woods. No, Tiger didn’t win it on Sunday, but he sure had his dramatic moments to finish just a few shots behind and with yet another Top 10 finish in a major. That being said, I’m still ticked that everyone spent so much time talking about Tiger that there were two stories that just totally went under the radar. Good thing that Phil Mickelson won the event, or no one would’ve ever remembered the name of the winner. I mean really… why not just give Tiger the Green Jacket, too? After all, he was the center of this whole ordeal these past four days, right? And why no love for 16-year old Matteo Manassero, who made the cut and finished at +4 for the tournament? If this kid can finish +4 at the age of 16 and make the Masters cut, maybe there’s another Tiger Woods on our hands that we’ll be discussing in a few years.

A week into MLB betting action and we already have a little bit of history… and not the good kind either. How’s about allowing a whopping 13 runs in an inning? Nice job, Pittsburgh Pirates. The 13 run outburst featured eight hits, four walks, three homers (one of which was to Edwin Jackson, the pitcher, who spent the last couple seasons in the American League), a triple, and a tad bit of miserable fielding to boot. It took three pitchers to get through the frame for the Bucs, as Darren McCutchen, Hayden Penn, and Jack Taschner were all used and all touched up. If you’re interested, through one week of play, McCutchen has an ERA of 24.30 and Penn has one of 30.86. Stellar ball, guys. Stellar.

Let’s take a stab at the Boston Celtics as well. Just a week after watching the San Antonio Spurs get destroyed by the New Jersey Nets, the C’s pulled off one just as sharp. In the fight for the #3 seed in the Eastern Conference, they were knocked off by the lowly Washington Wizards on their home court 106-96. Even more embarrassing was the fact that they put up 42 points in the 4th quarter and still were beaten and beaten badly. The Wiz outscored Boston 52-31 in a very uninspired first half of ball. Over their L/52 games, the Celtics are only 27-25 after starting 18 games over .500 over the first couple months of the year. That won’t cut it in the playoffs, that’s for sure.

The first week of April brings the rare crossover between four major sports, as the MLB, NHL, NBA, and NCAA hoops all collide. But before we look ahead at the week that will be, here at Bankroll Sports, we’re analyzing the week that was and giving all sorts of heck to those that have drawn our ire as sports betting fanatics.

Rap Sheet Picture of the Week
Philadelphia Eagles HC Andy Reid, who looks angrier than ever about the fact that his franchise quarterback, Donovan McNabb was traded for peanuts in his own division.

There’s no better place to start than in the NBA this week, and boy, would we love to give a piece of our mind to the New Orleans Hornets. You get G Chris Paul, your pride and joy, back in the lineup after he missed what felt like an eternity to this franchise, and you promptly come out and beat the Lakers on your home court. Great, right? After all, it’s not often that you can give up 31 points to G Kobe Bryant and 26 points and 22 rebounds to F Pau Gasol and live to tell about it. However… What gives after that, Hornets? As 9.5 point favorites, the Wizards came into New Orleans Arena and spanked the Hornets 96-91. That was followed up by a nine point loss in Memphis, which we deem to be excusable. But losing to the Nets? By four touchdowns? The 115-87 win for Jersey was clearly its biggest ‘W’ of the season, and it came at the expense of a team that just looks like it has given up. Don’t worry, the laughs aren’t over quite yet if you missed this embarrassing one in Jersey. Minnesota is still on the schedule!

This may not have a heck of a lot to do with gambling at this point, but is there any doubt that the Philadelphia Eagles are getting smacked by the Washington Redskins twice this season? Apparently, making it to five NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl wasn’t enough for QB Donovan McNabb, so the Iggles shipped him out of town. Ok, no problem, right? After all, guys get traded at the end of their careers all the time. But to send him to Washington??? You’re just asking to get whooped up on, Philly. And this blogger, who notoriously hates the Redskins, is going to love watching McNabb come back into the City of Brotherly Love and beat the snot out of your team this season.

The bullpen for the New York Yankees is already off to a flying start this year. You’d figure in and amongst all of the money that this team spends that they’d learn that eventually, a bullpen is going to help you out, right? But no, apparently having leads of 5-1 and 7-5 aren’t good enough. It’s not bad enough that David Robertson allowed his only inherited runner to cross home plate, but then Chan Ho Park proved once again why the Yanks have no clue how to spend their bucks by giving up three runs (two earned) in a three-run seventh. Don’t worry Joba Chamberlain, we’re not forgetting the three hits and a run you gave up in your 1.1 innings worked either. The final stat line for the New York pen? 2.2 IPs, 4 runs (3 earned), 6 hits, 2 walks, 1 K, 1 HR allowed. That’s a WHIP of 3.00 and an ERA of 13.50. Stellar job, boys. Stellar.

Any time you can say that you’re in line to set all-time records in a league that has been around for over 60 years, you’ve truly done something special… unless you’re the New Jersey Nets…

Yep, that pretty well sums it up. Is there any other way to watch a game at the IZOD Center than with a bag over your head right now unless you’re cheering for the other team? Remember when this team was competing for Eastern Conference crowns and NBA Championships? But the days of Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson, Kenyon Martin, and Kerry Kittles are long since gone.

Ever since getting rid of G Jason Kidd, everything has seemed to be all downhill for this once-proud franchise. Kidd was dealt right at the ’08 trade deadline for what amounted to be a bag full of peanuts to the Dallas Mavericks. Even then, keeping together the tandem of Carter and Jefferson appeared like it had the potential to be exciting in ’09-’10. Aside from that, the hopes of building a new stadium in Brooklyn gave Nets fans from the Big Apple something to possibly be excited about.

But coming into this year, there was no stadium. There was no Jefferson. There was no Carter. And basically, there was no hope.

Just check out what this lineup looks like on a regular basis… G Devin Harris is probably the only player on the team that might have a chance of cracking the starting five on another NBA roster. Jarvis Hayes, Yi Jianlian, Brook Lopez, Courtney Lee, Kris Humphries… Who are these guys???

So why should we be so surprised that this team is off to a 4-43 start to the NBA betting season coming into Wednesday night? Jersey’s offense ranks dead last in the league in points per game (89.8) and shooting percentage (42.2%), and it is getting outrebounded by a pitiful 5.6 boards per contest. The Nets put together a very impressive 19-game losing streak to start the season, which ultimately cost HC Lawrence Frank his job. To Frank, it must’ve felt like a blessing to be exiled from hell on earth.

The ’72 Philadelphia 76ers set an NBA record for futility with just nine wins on the season. Not only are the Nets on a pace to beat that mark, but they could legitimately obliterate it if they don’t figure out how to string some ‘W’s together in the weeks to come.

What’s worse is how little it appears as though anyone on this team really cares. It feels like every time you look up at the New Jersey bench, guys are cracking jokes or have their heads hung down. The boys just don’t play hard, and it’s really telling on the NBA wagering lines. Just look at some of these spreads this year that the Nets have had on their side! Recently, they were whopping 16.5-point underdogs in Utah, and they lost 116-83, failing to come anywhere near that hefty number.

If you’ve been betting on the Nets every night at JustBet Sportsbook, you’ve only gone a miserable 16-31 ATS. If that keeps up over the remaining 35 games of the season, Jersey is looking at finishing just 28-54 ATS. There’s only one team in the last 14 years that has put up a worse ATS record in basketball betting action, and that was the ’03-’04 Orlando Magic, who went just 27-54-1 ATS in the year before they landed C Dwight Howard with the #1 pick in the NBA Draft.

One thing is for certain, and that’s that the Nets can’t go anywhere but up. The new hope is that F LeBron James or one of the other high-priced free agents to be ultimately signs in New Jersey and starts to resurrect the franchise.

But if things for Jersey fans go as well next year as they have this year, another season of futility is in the cards.

Hey Edmonton Oilers, are you ever going to win a game in 2010? Remember when you were riding high after a five-game winning streak that wrapped up on December 11th? Since then, all you’ve done is win exactly one… that’s right… ONE game. You’ve been outscored by the aggregate score of 84-39 in that stretch, and now you’ve hit the low of all lows. Facing a Calgary team that had lost nine straight games itself, you came out and got thrashed 6-1 on Saturday night. So until you pick up a ‘W’ and make yourselves even remotely relevant again in the NHL betting world… C’mon Man!!!

The Indiana Pacers played a fantastic NBA betting affair on Friday night at home against LeBron James and Co. Not only were they outscored 36-18 in the opening stanza, they also only dropped nine points for the entire fourth quarter. But they had to expect better out of F Danny Grainger, right? Grainger is averaging 22.9 points per game, but the only thing that was more uninspiring than his 14-point effort against the Lakers on Wednesday was his 6/23 shooting performance against the Cavs on Friday. You know kid, I know you want to get the heck out of town, but can you at least try a little bit harder and shoot just a tad better than 26% from the field for a game in which you take so many shots? Pacers betting fans appreciate it… C’mon Man!!!

Does anyone know what’s going on with the Texas Longhorns? All of a sudden, they’ve allowed three straight teams to hang 80+ points on them even though they’re only conceding 67.5 points per game on the season. Once upon a time, this team was ranked #1 in the nation. Now, with three losses in its L/4 games, the worst of which came at home to Baylor on Saturday, the Horns will be lucky to hold in the Top-10. What makes matters worse? Texas hasn’t covered a college basketball betting line since December 22nd against Michigan State. Tickets to a Longhorns game: $10. Losing NCAA basketball betting ticket: $550. Watching a team fail to beat the number in eight straight games: Priceless… C’mon Man!!!

Let’s hear it for the Los Angeles Clippers, who became the first team in the NBA all season to lose to both the Minnesota Timberwolves and the New Jersey Jets this season! However, what made that feat all the more impressive is the fact that they did all of that in a span of three nights! Want an even better one? Check out the margins of victory for the two worse teams in the NBA… The T’Wolves won by 14, while the Nets won by 16. There’s never any excuse for play this… oh wait… It’s the Clippers… C’mon Man!!!