First things first, when you’re looking over your Kentucky Derby odds for this weekend, take Chocolate Candy. Trust me on this one.

Dwight Howard’s elbows did a one-man job on the Magic’s basketball betting chances tonight in Philadelphia, where they’ll be a 5.5-point underdog against the 76ers in Game 6. First, he fractured the sinuses of rookie teammate Courtney Lee, who was having an amazing series until he ran into Howard’s elbow. And then, this:

Howard received a technical for it, and he deserved it, that was pretty blatant. So the Magic are now a basketball betting underdog in a possible series clincher on the road, which means it’s not looking good. I’m setting the over/under of attempted threes tonight by Orlando at 30, and taking the over. Howard had 24 points and 24 boards in the Game 5 win, and has been putting up 24.0 points, 15.8 boards, and 2.8 blocks a game in this series. Good luck replacing that. Take Philly for the basketball betting win to send this to a seventh game.

Those checking this Saturday’s boxing odds can watch a different type of slugfest, as Chicago is giving the defending champions from Boston all they can handle in a series that is tied at two, with three of the four games being decided by three or fewer points, and one double-overtime classic that has been the game of the playoffs so far. Much has been made of the Derrick Rose-Rajon Rondo matchup, and both young point guards have been fantastic, but the real battle comes from a pair of UConn snipers, Boston’s Ray Allen and Chicago’s Ben Gordon. This clash of snipers will be the deciding factor in these basketball betting odds.

In Game 1, Allen was only 1-of-12, and Gordon dropped 20 in an overtime win for the Bulls. In Game 2, Gordon lit up the Celtics for 42, but it was Allen’s last-second three to cap a 30-point performance to lift Boston to a win. Both had quiet games in Boston’s Game 3 romp, but they were up to their old tricks in Game 4, trading last-second shots in a double-overtime win for the Bulls. Allen had 28 to Gordon’s 22, but Gordon’s three at the end of the first overtime kept the Bulls’ basketball betting chances alive.

These two must be familiar with each other, as Allen starred at UConn between 1993 and 1996, while Gordon also spent three years at UConn between 2001 and 2004, helping the Huskies win a national title. It’s been fun to watch them go at each other, and it’s no surprise that either will be getting the game-winning shot in upcoming games in this series, so basketball betting odds and totals will depend heavily on how these two gunners play.

Short and sweet, just like the fight there are boxing odds out there for next weekend (Hatton doesn’t stand a chance). Here’s some picks for the weekend in the NBA.

Nuggets vs Hornets (Saturday, 1:00 PM ET)

The Hornets seem to have mailed it in this season, as they didn’t put up a fight in a pair of blowouts in Denver. The Nuggets are led by Chauncey Billups, who has been there and done that and has the t-shirt (as well as a Finals MVP and a championship ring). (basketball betting pick: Nuggets)

Lakers vs Jazz (Saturday, 9:00 PM ET)

The Jazz pulled out a clutch Game 3 victory thanks to a late Deron Williams jumper, but they were helped by a terrible shooting performance by Kobe Bryant. That won’t happen again. I promise. (basketball betting pick: Lakers)

Celtics vs Bulls (Sunday, 1:00 PM ET)

In what has been the most exciting series so far, the Bulls were ripped in Game 3, and they definitely showed some nerves on their homecourt.  Chicago needs a massive effort from Ben Gordon and Derrick Rose to even the series. (Basketball betting pick: Bulls)

Cavaliers vs Pistons (Sunday, 3:30 PM ET)

If the Cavaliers win Game 3 on Friday night, there is no way they lose this game. If the Cavaliers don’t win Game 4, well………they still win Game 4. (Basketball betting pick: Cavaliers)

Those looking at the boxing odds for next week’s fight may have caught a headline on Tuesday morning, when Dallas center Erick Dampier said he would put San Antonio guard Tony Parker “on his back” after Parker lit up the Mavericks for 38 points, mostly on layups, in Game 2’s 105-84 win. The NBA reviewed the comments and decided there was no reason for the foul.

First of all, where was Dampier when Parker was dropping 27 in the first half? Maybe that hard foul should have come in the first quarter? And who is he anyway? He’s got no say in the Mavericks’ basketball betting odds, he’s essentially an extra six fouls a game. It’s kind of amazing he’s been in the league for 12 years. And since he’s been in the league for 12 years, he should know better than to say that in the press. If you’re going to foul hard, go out and do it. Now, referees will have a magnifying glass on him tonight when the Mavericks host the Spurs as basketball betting favorites at home. The Mavericks already have a tough enough task as is; if Dampier is in foul trouble, the Mavericks have no one that can guard Tim Duncan, and Parker will have an even easier time in the lane. Way to draw attention to yourself. It’s dumb moves like this that players should stay away from Dallas’ basketball betting odds.

Much like Kentucky Derby betting players who come to find out that a favorite horse has to be put down, basketball betting players watched on Tuesday night as Dikembe Mutumbo went down in the first quarter of Houston’s loss to Portland. Mutumbo got tangled up with the Trailblazers’ Greg Oden and came down on his left leg, and he immediately clutched at his knee. Mutumbo now says his basketball career is over, and it’s a shame that it had to end like that.

Mutumbo will be go down as one of the best defensive players of all time, winning Defensive Player of the Year four times, leading the league in blocks five times, four times in rebounding, and he was an eight-time All-Star. As great of a player as he was, he may be better remembered for his philanthropic efforts around the league and in his country of Congo.

So what does this mean for Houston’s basketball betting chances? As the oldest player in the league at 42, Mutumbo still gave the Rockets valuable minutes off the bench when Yao Ming needed a spell, and their interior defense also took a hit. Mutumbo was also one of the most well-liked players in the Houston locker room, and many Rockets said how tough it was to watch his career end on a stretcher. However, they could use this as inspiration, so don’t avoid the Rockets’ basketball betting odds just yet.

Those looking at their basketball betting odds this morning got more injury news from the Boston camp, as Leon Powe is out for the season after he tore his ACL in the Celtics’ thrilliing 118-115 win over Chicago on Monday night. So what does it all mean?

It means Boston’s interior defense is a terrible state right now. The Celtics were in bad shape with no Kevin Garnett, and now are down to Kendrick Pendrick, Glen “Big Baby” Davis and Mikki Moore in the post. The Bulls have to take advantage of this if they want to pull off a huge basketball betting upset. If Derrick Rose can get into the paint like he did in his 36-point performance in Game 1, that leaves the likes of Brad Miller and Tyrus Thomas to do their thing down low. Offensively, Davis is their biggest threat in the post, and that can’t be a good sign for those looking over the Bulls vs Celtics odds, if you’re a Boston fan, that is. If Garnett’s absence is like a Kentucky Derby betting player losing his star thoroughbred, what happens when you lose the backup as well?

Still, this was pretty insane at the end of Game 2:

The defending champions still have some good basketball betting odds as they head into Game 2 against Chicago, but Game 1 was enough to worry even the most ardent Celtics fan.

The look on Kevin Garnett’s face throughout the first half of their overtime loss to the Bulls in Game 1 was enough to tell the story. The Celtics could not stop Derrick Rose from getting into the paint at will, and while most teams can’t do this, Boston has a better chance than most with KG in the lineup. Without his sore right knee, KG is one of the best help defenders in the NBA, probably of all time, and there’s no way that Rose finishes as easily as he does with KG in there (no knock on Rose either, y’all know how I feel about him. Garnett’s intensity on defense is sometimes taken for granted, but not after Game 1. He couldn’t even come back on the bench, he was so frustrated. Give Ray Allen’s awful shooting (1-of-12? Gross.) and Paul Pierce’s free-throw missed a nod as supporting actors, but KG’s knee is the star of the show, and Boston’s basketball betting chances are definitely not the same without the “Big Ticket”. Think of the Celtics as a horse trying to beat the Kentucky Derby odds with one leg. It’s not going to work. Basketball betting players will see what heart the Celtics have in Game 2.

Following up yesterday’s basketball betting picks for the Eastern Conference, here comes the wild, wild West, where the eighth seed would be fourth in the East.

No.1 Los Angeles vs No.8 Utah

The Jazz only have a shot because they’re a great team at home, but even still, the Lakers should be able to steal one in Utah. Andrew Bynum + Pau Gasol + no Utah interior defense = bye bye Jazz. (basketball betting pick: Lakers in five)

No.2 Denver vs No.7 New Orleans

The Hornets have to be the most dangerous seventh seed in recent memory, but the Nuggets have a lot of depth, and Chauncey Billups has changed the culture of the team. Billups vs Chris Paul is a matchup any aspiring point guard should watch. (basketball betting pick: Nuggets in six)

No.3 San Antonio vs No.6 Dallas

The Spurs had injuries to their Big Three, and still won 54 games. The Mavericks rallied late to jump into the picture, but the Spurs have a big edge on defense and coaching, which is essentially what gets you through this time of year. (basketball betting pick: Spurs in six)

No.4 Portland vs No.5 Houston

Neither team will win on the road, so it’s good that the Blazers have homecourt. They also have one of the NBA’s best fourth-quarter players iin Brandon Roy. The Rockets are a solid team, but another first-round exit (with no crying Tracy McGrady, this time) awaits them. (basketball betting pick: Trailblazers in seven)

Here we go…I’m done with my UFC 97 odds for the moment, so here’s your basketball betting picks for the playoffs, starting with the Eastern Conference.

No.1 Cleveland vs No.8 Detroit

The Pistons made the worst move of the year in the Allen Iverson trade, while Cleveland’s acquisition of Mo Williams is proving to be the best. Plus, it’s LeBron. He’ll put up a triple-double at some point. (NBA betting pick: Cleveland in four)

No.2 Boston vs No.7 Chicago

The Celtics may not have Kevin Garnett for the entire playoffs, but they should have enough to get by the Bulls, who will try to make this a track meet. Experience wins out. (NBA betting pick: Boston in five)

No.3 Orlando vs No.7 Philadelphia

The 76ers slumped down the stretch, for seemingly no reason. The Magic also struggled, but their spot has been wrapped up for a while and were more concerned with avoiding injuries. Philly’s got no answer for Dwight Howard. (NBA betting pick: Orlando in four)

No.4 Atlanta vs No.5 Miami

The series with the most mystery. Dwayne Wade has carried this team all season, but the Hawks are well balanced with six players in double digits. Maybe next year, D-Wade. (NBA betting pick: Atlanta in six)

Alright, here are my NBA betting picks for the rest of the major NBA individual awards to be handed out before the playoff action starts.

Coach of the Year

Gregg Popovich has done a superb job at guiding the Spurs to 50+ wins for the 10th straight year, despite injuries to Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker throughout the season. Some take the Spurs for granted, but this may have been Pop’s best coaching job. I mean, Matt Bonner starts for them and they’re still an NBA betting threat.

Sixth Man

Jason Terry wins this going away, and the only reason he’s not a starter is because Dallas needs bench scoring in the worst way. If the Mavericks want to have any sort of basketball betting chance in these playoffs, he’ll need to be even better.

Most Improved Player of the Year

This award boils down to Devin Harris and Danny Granger, and Granger gets it by the slimmest of margins. Both were All-Stars for garbage teams, but Granger had less help.  This is probably the close NBA betting call of all the awards, but Granger takes it.