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

So much for a quiet trade deadline! Many of the best expert NBA handicappers on the internet forecasted a very slow day of movement on Thursday, and up until early in the afternoon, that’s exactly what we thought we were getting. However, there was a flurry of action there in the dying moments before the 3:00 ET deadline, and there was even at least one deal that just didn’t get done before the deadline. Check out how we stack up the biggest player on deadline day!

Portland Trail Blazers: A+: Of all of the teams that made moves at the deadline, this was the one that really did the best job. The Blazers picked up Gerald Wallace, who has the ability to be an All-Star caliber player, and they gave up on Joel Pryzbilla and Dante Cunningham for it. It’s a great move to bring another great wing player in to help out Brandon Roy, and with Marcus Camby getting back into the fold shortly, it was only a matter of time until Portland had limited minutes for Pryzbilla.

Chicago Bulls: A: Sure, we know that the Bulls really should have made sure that they picked up a shooting guard to help out, but the price was just going to be too high to do anything. Instead of doing something, Chicago realized that it didn’t really have to do anything at all to succeed, as it already has one of the most dangerous teams in the entire NBA. A move didn’t have to be made, and nothing was done. This team should be in great shape with all of its bigs come playoff time.

New Orleans Hornets: A: Mark Cuban might not like the fact that the Hornets went out and traded for Carl Landry, but it was a great move for a team that really needed a shot in the arm. It was a subtle move for sure, but it will be one that New Orleans love for the rest of the season.

New Jersey Nets: A: Okay, so Mikhail Prokhorov didn’t get his main guy. He got a pretty darn nice second option. It really is still unknown whether Deron Williams is going to be a Net for the rest of his life. If he is, Prokhorov is finally going to be bringing a true superstar into Brooklyn with the team. If not, Jersey could always turn around and deal off Williams next season. The asking price was relatively small, as Devin Harris and Derrick Favors with a couple of draft picks was certainly worthwhile, and it might even give Jersey some hope for a playoff push this year with as bad as the rest of the bottom of the East is.

Denver Nuggets: B: This was just a bad, bad situation for Denver with Carmelo Anthony, but it made the best of it and ultimately got a nice crop of players, most of which were awfully young back for its two biggest stars. It would’ve been nice to see Raymond Felton get moved again, as it is clear that he has no desire to be a bench player, but all in all, it was a decent trade deadline for the Nuggs.

New York Knicks: B: Yeah, the Knicks got their man… It also cost a heck of a lot as well. This could be a move that ultimately works out in the long run, but this season, New York is probably in some trouble, as this team really only has two months to work out the kinks to get ready for the playoffs. Melo did score 27 and have 10 boards in his debut on Wednesday, but the pieces around him have to do a lot better than that for this team to get to the next level.

Oklahoma City Thunder: B-: Oklahoma City has taken a real chance here by bringing in Kendrick Perkins and Nazr Mohammed, especially giving up Jeff Green in these deals, but this was a real message being sent to the rest of the West that this is a team that is getting a lot tougher. The Thunder have some real bangers in the post now, and this is going to make for a very interesting situation come playoff time. It could be a move that puts OKC over the top, but Green was a very, very steep price to pay.

Atlanta Hawks: C: We admire the Hawks for at least going out and trying something, but is Kirk Hinrich really the answer? Mike Bibby has been declining for quite some time, and perhaps the time was here to move him, but for a team that really isn’t all that strong to start off with in terms of depth, trading three pieces for two pieces from an awful team doesn’t seem like a move that will the club over the top.

Boston Celtics: C-: The C’s are potentially in a lot of trouble. Five men were ultimately traded for basically Nenad Krstic and Jeff Green. Krstic might ultimately start with Shaquille O’Neal and Jermaine O’Neal are getting over injuries, but this was a definitely downgrade in the post. Sure, Green is a great guy to bring off the bench, but he isn’t going to have the same impact that Perkins did. The Celtics are definitely not as strong of a team defensively as they once were, and they might have spoiled a team chemistry that was absolutely remarkable to this point for the past several years.

Memphis Grizzlies: C-: We aren’t so sure how we would’ve felt about Josh McRoberts and a first round draft pick for OJ Mayo anyway, but how on earth can you not get the deal done at the trade deadline, Memphis? The only reason this isn’t an ‘F’ is basically because Shane Battier for Hasheem Thabeet was a great move, and it is one that could make this team a legitimate contender in the West. However, Mayo was already essentially out of favor in Memphis, and he needed to be traded. Now, he thought he was dealt, yet he is still stuck with the team. It’ll be interesting to see how this all pans out by the end of the season, seeing whether this proves to be nothing but a big time distraction.

Utah Jazz: D: The only reason that the Jazz don’t get an F is because this was a move that had to be made eventually one way or the other. The problem is that the fan base has basically been told that this season is a wash, as there just aren’t enough guards for this team to play with. It felt like Utah really needed to make another move, whether it be to send off Derrick Favors, Paul Millsap, or any of the other big guys on this team. The bottom line is that there are now about 100 big men and no stars in the backcourt for a team that desperately needs some help just to get into the second season out West.

Golden State Warriors: F: If the Warriors were sellers at the trade deadline, why didn’t they really trade any pieces to the puzzle like Monta Ellis? If they were buyers, how come they didn’t actually get anything productive done? Trading for Troy Murphy wasn’t great, especially knowing that he might just be bought out anyway, so this team, as always, is just kind of sitting in a state of flux, not knowing what in the heck is really going on.

Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers: F: C’mon guys, what the hell was this trade really all about? For Cleveland, sure you’re getting a first round draft pick that is going to be a lottery choice, but you’re taking in a guy that is a head case and a known cancer in the locker room when he is unhappy. You know that Davis isn’t going to want to visit the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame all that often, and once that luster wears off, he is sure to become disgruntled. If you’re the Clippers, why are you doing this to a player that you had a lot of faith in once upon a time, and giving up a first round pick to do it? Mo Williams contemplated retirement not that long ago, and he’s certainly not going to help. Goodness knows what this trade really accomplished for either team.

Orlando Magic: F: No team did worse by doing nothing this year than the Magic, who badly needed another move. This big maneuver that GM Otis Smith made to bring in Jason Richardson and Hedo Turkoglu was great, but the one with Gilbert Arenas clearly backfired. Dwight Howard is apparently a bit disgruntled with his position in Orlando, and knowing that he can opt out after next season, the moves really had to start to be made now, not just for this year, but for next season as well. There are too many guards and not enough big men, and if the opportunity was really on the table to pick up Zach Randolph from the Memphis Grizzlies, it was a move that needed to be done.

The NBA Trade Deadline is now here, as teams have less than 12 hours to make their final moves for the rest of the season. The action has been hot and heavy over the course of the last day and change, and here is a recap of what we have seen, plus what we might see in the closing hours today…

The biggest blockbuster deal that we have all been waiting for has finally gone done. The New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets have finally agreed on a deal that will send Carmelo Anthony to the Big Apple, his desired destination. New York is expected to give Anthony a three year, $65M extension that will keep him playing at MSG through 2015. The Knicks also received back Chauncey Billups, who will immediately start at the point guard spot, along with Shelden Williams, Renaldo Balkman, and Anthony Carter. In exchange, Denver will be getting Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, Timofey Mozgov, a first round draft choice, two second round draft choices, and $3M in cash. Melo scored 27 points and had 10 boards in his first game playing with the Knicks, who beat the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.

The wheeling and dealing wasn’t done there, though. New York also sent off Eddy Curry’s expiring contract and Anthony Randolph for Corey Brewer. Brewer didn’t make it into the lineup on Wednesday.

For Denver, the trades are almost certainly not complete. Gallinari and Felton might never suit up for the Nuggs by the time this is said and done. Felton is now the second former North Carolina Tar Heels point guard on the team, joining Ty Lawson. Rumors also have it that Nene could be sent off in a deal before Thursday’s deadline as well, and he is now the leading point scorer still left on the team at 15.0 per game. Al Harrington, who was signed last summer to a huge free agent deal, now could also be traded. The Nuggets play their first game since the trade tonight against the Boston Celtics at home.

The New Jersey Nets were figured to be the biggest losers of the trading deadline, as they once again seemed to miss out on acquiring all of the superstars that were available, just like what happened in the offseason. However, we have learned to never count out Mikhail Prokhorov and company, as New Jersey got its man, and it arguably got a better deal than it would’ve gotten had it picked up ‘Melo. In a late breaking deal on Wednesday, the Nets acquired Deron Williams from the Utah Jazz. Jersey sent packing Devin Harris, Derrick Favors, and two draft choices to Utah.

Meanwhile, the Jazz are now absolutely ripe as could be, as they have a ton of pieces to the puzzle that could, but probably won’t be moved by the 3:00 ET deadline today. Favors is a man that a lot of teams are still asking about, especially on a team in which he may never crack the rotation. Remember that Utah still has Al Jefferson, Mehmet Okur, Andrei Kirilenko, and Paul Millsap, essentially all of which have the same type of skill set as Favors does. The Jazz still need a two guard and would be wise to try to send one of these bigs off to make that happen.

Williams won’t necessarily resign with the Nets, as he is reportedly unhappy with the trade. However, he still has a full season under his belt with his current contract and cannot get out until 2012. New Jersey could always turn around and trade him off next year if things don’t work out, but the hope is that Williams becomes the cornerstone to the franchise as it tries to turn around its misery.

We mentioned two days ago that the Atlanta Hawks were looking for a point guard, and they finally found their man, though it came at a hefty price tag. Atlanta traded Mike Bibby, Jordan Crawford, Maurice Evans, and a first round draft choice to the Washington Wizards for Hilton Armstrong and Kirk Hinrich. If you’re the Wiz, you have to love this deal, as it rids you of Hinrich, who is only standing in the way of the growth of John Wall, and it gives you yet another draft pick to try to build around. Atlanta gets its point guard, but it takes three key players out of its rotation to do so.

The Cleveland Cavaliers made a nice move in the middle of the night on Wednesday as well, picking up Baron Davis and a lottery draft pick this coming year to the Los Angeles Clippers for Mo Williams and Jamario Moon. Davis is clearly at the tail end of his career, and it is clear that the team just wanted to move him for the sake of moving him. It essentially cost a first round pick to do so, but this might not be the end of the world for an LA team that does have a ton of players under the age of 25 on its team. It might also be a nice switch for Williams, who has just seemed to be totally lost since losing LeBron James to the Miami Heat this past offseason.

Speaking of the Heat, they could be in on a minor move as well, though teams don’t seem to be all that interested in their most tradeable asset, Mike Miller. Still, keep an eye on this situation, as Miami is trying to bring in another veteran big to help out Chris Bosh on the inside.

Up the road, the Orlando Magic are surely looking to make a move, especially after losing to the Sacramento Kings last night. General Manager Otis Smith knows that he really needs to make a major move sooner than later, or he’ll probably end up losing Dwight Howard in two seasons to free agency, a la LeBron James, something that would seal his fate and cost him his job for sure. The problem is finding the pieces to the puzzle to deal since Orlando already made the big time trade with the Phoenix Suns earlier this season. Could Steve Nash be coming to Orlando? What about Zach Randolph? The Randolph deal makes some sense, though it would require reportedly sending back at least Brandon Bass and Jason Richardson to do so, a heavy price to pay.

Teams are also contacted the Memphis Grizzlies about the availability of Hasheem Thabeet, who has largely been a tremendous bust in his career after being a high draft choice two seasons ago.

The Portland Trail Blazers are still trying to make a move, but it’s a question as to what they’re looking for. There are plenty of bigs to trade on this team, and it seems like the only names that aren’t being bantered around just a bit are those of Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge. Aside from that though, it all seems to be fair game, and anyone coming to the table with the right asking price can seemingly get anyone else they want off of this team. One of those talks are with the Charlotte Bobcats, who have had inquiries about Gerald Wallace. That deal doesn’t seem to be in the makings though, as Wallace is still looked at as the cornerstone of Charlotte’s team.

We’ll keep you up to date here at Bankroll Sports with all of the ins and outs of the 2011 NBA Trade Deadline rumors!

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The 2008-09 Orlando Magic were about as close as you can get to winning their first NBA Championship in franchise history. In the offseason, the team cut ties with F Hedo Turkoglu, a man that was largely considered the heart and soul of a squad that is headlined by C Dwight Howard.

In order to replace the Turkish superstar, GM Otis Smith went out and traded G Courtney Lee and a few other minor pieces for G Vince Carter, who was largely thought to be washed up, and a host of role players, including F Matt Barnes, G Jason Williams, and C Brandon Bass.

So just like most Magic fans, I immediately thought to myself, “Fantastic. We just replaced a superstar for a has-been, two stiffs, and a nut case.”

All that has-been has done this year is average 16.3 points per game and rejuvenate his career.

All the nut case does is annoy the heck out of the opposition, score 8.7 points per game, and does a little bit of everything. Oh yeah, and he got down and dirty and got into the face of G Kobe Bryant when the Lakers came to town last weekend.

Believe it or not, this version of the Orlando Magic may really be better than ever. And there’s never been a better time to strike and capture the city’s first major championship ever than right now.

Just take one look at the Eastern Conference. Even though things aren’t as disgraceful this year as they were a year ago when everyone outside of Orlando, Boston, and Cleveland were all god awful, they’re still pretty bad.

Does anyone really believe that the Magic (or Cavs for that matter) are going to even get remotely challenge by Miami, Charlotte, or anyone else in the bottom of the Eastern Conference in the first round?

Setting up a date with the Celtics in the second round seems like a very realistic possibility, and it also feels like a lot easier task than the Magic faced last season when they had to win Game 7 at Boston Garden to reach the Eastern Conference Finals.

So let’s just fast forward to the inevitable Orlando/Cleveland matchup, shall we?

Last season, there really wasn’t a warm body that could hang with F LeBron James defensively. Now, that nut case Barnes is the man that can get the job done. F Rashard Lewis and Cleveland’s F Antawn Jamison are largely the exact same player and will cancel each other out.

Who’s stopping Superman again? Shaq? I think not.

Cleveland may be the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference, but after six games, Orlando will once again be the team playing in the NBA Finals.

However, that’s not good enough in the home of Mickey Mouse this year. It’s championship or bust, and the entire franchise and the city of Orlando both know it.

Unlike last year’s team that lived and died by the three-pointer and Howard in the post, this team has more slashing ability to the paint. Carter isn’t afraid to get his jersey a little messy, and G JJ Redick has developed a lot more of an inside game that he has had in years past when he was nothing but a three-point shooter. The bench is utilized a lot more as well, as any combination of 11 guys can play 15+ minutes any given night. It’s also a team that can play at the sluggish knockdown , drag out pace that both Cleveland and Boston like to play at.

No team in the NBA is holding teams to a worse shooting percentage than Orlando is at 43.6%. Its 95.3 points per game allowed in the sixth best mark in the league.

The one thing that you can’t measure based on statistics is heart, and it’s that heart, along with tenacity, and toughness that has led the Magic to a six-game winning streak that will probably be stretched out to at least 11 before playing at Atlanta on March 24th.

Mickey Mouse has an angry scowl on his face this season, and if he doesn’t walk away from this season with an NBA Championship, he may never get one.