I wonder what the sports betting odds were on how long it would take Allen Iverson to return to the NBA. “The Answer” made his return to the team that drafted him, the Philadelphia 76ers in a 93-83 loss to Denver, where Iverson was traded to last year from Detroit. Iverson played 38 minutes, going 4-of-11 from the floor for 11 points, while adding six assists and five boards for the 76ers. Quite frankly, this is the best scenario for Iverson, and for the 76ers’ NBA betting odds.

First, Philadelphia fans LOVE Iverson. I mean, the last time they were good, he was the reason for it. They’ll follow that dude through a fire if they have to. Second, Iverson seems to realize that it’s Andre Igoudala’s team, as Iggy had 31 against the 76ers. Now, I have no problem with Iverson playing major minutes….as long as he understands that he’s no longer a superstar and starts jacking up 30 shots a game. Iverson is an excellent complementary piece if he keeps his head together, and you never know: the 76ers could be an NBA betting darkhorse in your sportsbook if Iverson sticks to the script.

Cleveland is finally playing like the sportsbook favorites we allkknew they were, and they played very well in a 111-104 win over Miami on the road, their third straight win away from home. But that’s neither here nor there. I’m wonder if the kids still hang up posters on their wall, because THIS is the epitome of a posterization:

AND THEN…..he goes back to walk over him, Allen Iverson-Tyronn Lue style:

This has no bearing on either team’s online betting odds, but you may look back on this later in the season, and I’m willing to bet you won’t see a better posterization than that. Then, Anderson Varejao (Sideshow Bob) had the nerve to try and talk smack to D-Wade after the play was done. He got a technical foul for his efforts. You know, he’s a talented player, but someone needs to tell Bob to shut up sometimes. Actin’ like you’re worth $10-12 mil a season,  you know what that gets:

My pick for Saturday’s Pacquiao Cotto odds: Miguel will give him a run, but he doesn’t have the patience to hang with Manny, who will frustrate him into making a mistake.

So, the online betting season for NBA fans tipped off on Tuesday with a massive matchup between two of the title contenders, Boston and Cleveland. How did these two fare in Game No.1?

The Cavs got off to a quick start in the first quarter before the Celtics’ veteran experience kicked in, and they outscored Cleveland 30-17 in the second quarter. The Boston reserves outscored their counterparts 26-10, thanks in large part to Rasheed Wallace, who notched 12 in his debut. The pickup of Wallace is seen to be a boost to the Celtics’ NBA odds, as he can spell Kevin Garnett, who had 13 points and 10 boards. Paul Pierce has 23 and 11 boards to lead the way for the Celtics.

How about the Cavs, one of the trendy sportsbook picks this year? It was similar to last year. LeBron James had 38 and eight assists, but the next highest Cav was Mo Williams with 12, and he was only 3-of-8 from the field. Shaquille O’Neal had 10 and 10 in his Cleveland debut, and that’s all they really need from him. But they need secondary scoring, preferably from Williams and Anthony Parker.

So, what can we take away from this game? Not much. It’s the first game in a long, long season. All we know is, these two will be there at the end of the season, and this is just a prelude to a rivalry that’s gone from budding to full-on.

PS: I’m going to throw in World Series picks as much as I can. Take the Yankees in Game 1. Sabathia edges Lee in a pitcher’s duel, while Cleveland Indians fans slit their wrists.

Oklahoma City’s NBA odds are awful in the first place, but then, Henry Abbott came out with an column on ESPN that said Kevin Durant is hurting his team. Okay, here goes:

I’m not going to look at the numbers, because I’m sure they’re all very pretty and Abbott probably did a lot of research, but really? Kevin Durant hurting the Thunder? The kid averaged 25.3 points and 6.5 boards last year, and I’m pretty sure there is no way to quantify the load that Durant had to carry last year. You know: pretty much an entire franchise on the back of a 21-year-old (then 20). Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook are great wingmen, but they couldn’t carry the team like Durant, who is moving up the sportsbook ranks as an MVP candidate.

Let’s not even mention that he makes going to a Thunder game worth the price per head (most of the time, anyway). Durant does more for that franchise than what is shown in the box scores and stats (and he fills those, too). So if you see Henry Abbott out and about, don’t let him make any of your sports picks for you.

Since NBA betting season is upon us, and the preseason is underway, we’re going to look at…..a feud between LeBron James and a football player.

James has been busy over the summer, pushing his documentary “More Than A Game” (shouldn’t you win a title first before making a documentary?) and making a guest appearance on “Entourage” (which was understated and funny). But he also found time to get into a little trouble, indirectly. Cleveland Browns’ wide receiver Braylon Edwards is being accused of punching James’ friend at a nightclub, and James called Edwards “childish”, stating that Edwards must be jealous of him and his friends.

Shoot, why wouldn’t he? Edwards plays for a team that you couldn’t pay people to bet on in your offshore sportsbook. James has great hands, Edwards drops more than he catches. Edwards doesn’t have a movie out. It would be funny to see Edwards and James fight, although I’m betting management of the Cavs fail to see the humor in it.

Nothing will happen here, and everything will be fine….except for Edwards, who continues to be a part of a squad whose Super Bowl odds were flushed before they started.

Online sports betting players are just dying to see how Kobe Bryant and Ron Artest interact as teammates after so many battles in opposite uniforms, but Artest is trying to take some of the attention off the Lakers’ superstar with some recent words. However, it may not have been the best choice of words.

Artest came out and told the media that he wanted the blame if the Lakers don’t repeat as NBA champions. Now, that’s a bold statement. Granted, the Lakers are sure to be at the top, or at least near the top, of the list of favorites in your offshore sportsbook, but that’s a huge burden to have on you. Shoot, ask Tracy McGrady:

Because the pressure can make you go:

Now granted, Artest is much tougher than McGrady, his former Houston teammate, but maybe he should just get used to running the triangle before he goes making statements like this. Then again, that’s why we love Ron Ron, isn’t it?

Crazy Ron Artest or not, still, the Lakers will be one of the most popular sports picks of the fall.

While going over my NFL Week 2 betting odds, I ran across a report that said Golden State coach Don Nelson is keeping Stephen Jackson as captain of the Warriors, despite Jackson’s request to be traded to a contender.

Now, I love Stephen Jackson. I think he’s a great pickup for a team than needs a veteran presence already intact. He’s won a championship with San Antonio, and he’s proven that he’s still productive. But this is one year after he signed a contract extension for three years, worth $28 million. What’s the market like for a 31-year-old (who will be 32 in April) who is earning $7.7 million, and his salary goes up each year? Probably not that good considering that most teams are waiting to next summer’s free-agent blowout. Teams feel if they’re planning to spend that kind of money, they’ll do it on a younger player, which in all likelihood raises their online betting chances (unless you’re Boston).

I hope the Warriors do something to improve, because I think Jackson and the Warriors deserve each other. They should have never let go of Baron Davis, but that’s neither here nor there. Those two made paying and watching Golden State games worth the price per head, and I think he just misses having Davis there to share the leadership role. I didn’t plan on it in the first place, but when stuff like this comes up, it’s best to avoid putting these kind of teams in your sports picks.

Real online betting players know just how important Bruce Bowen was to San Antonio’s chances each and every year, until recently when coach Gregg Popovich said that Kobe Bryant was basically unguardable, and sent Bowen to Milwaukee for Richard Jefferson.

Brown came into the NBA in 1997 after playing in Europe, but settled in with San Antonio in 2001 and turned out to be one of the biggest pests in the league, ending up with three NBA titles, eight All-Defensive team honors, and a boatload of enemies. See, Bowen was a borderline dirty player, and he can deny it all he wants, but too many players have landed on his foot for it to be solely coincidental. He’s been accused by everyone from Vince Carter to Steve Nash of foul play, and they’re not really wrong. But the thing is, they were thinking about Bowen, and not on the game, which gave San Antonio the edge in your offshore sportsbook.

So, love him or hate him, we’re betting management all across the league is happy to see him finally bow out at age 38. So here’s to you, Bruce Bowen. I don’t like you one little bit, but you get respect from this sports betting blog.

Not like they’ll have great online betting odds anyway, but Minnesota’s Ricky Rubio saga is over (we think), and much like the last couple of years, it didn’t work out in their favor.

Rubio decided to sign with FC Barcelona (yes, they have a basketball program to go with their Champions League-winning soccer team), and won’t be over in the United States for at least two years, when he can buy out of his contract for a much-smaller fee than the one he had with his old club, DKV Joventut. He says that he didn’t wawnt to complicate his life, and the 19-year-old may have a point. Would YOU want to leave Spain for Minnesota? Shoot, I’d love to be in his position for soccer tickets alone, much less the weather. He still has to fill out a bit, and remember, when he gets over here, he’ll be at the ripe old age of 21.

Now, the flip side is, we’re betting management of the Timberwolves aren’t holding the point-guard spot open for Rubio, and they proved that by drafting Jonny Flynn with the very next pick in the draft. He could become a valuable trading chip for the Timberwolves. Also, the hype for Rubio was over-the-top before the draft. Now that all of this has gone down, if he’s not the second coming of Magic Johnson and Pistol Pete Maravich, there’s gonna be a lot of “I told you so” from his critics. Still, all signs point to him being improved in two years, and it should be a much-needed shot to some team’s offshore sportsbook odds.

While I’m not anticipating it like I am the UFC 102 fight card that takes place next weekend, I am excited to see Jason Williams back in the NBA. “White Chocolate” signed with the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, probably as a backup to Jameer Nelson. Williams was on the Miami team that won the championship in 2006, so he adds some championship experience to a team that lost in the Finals just this year.

Williams (who played high school baskeball with Randy Moss) began his career as a flashy point guard with Sacramento, where he would shoot from anywhere, anytime. He defnitely mellowed out as he got older, and his numbers of 11.4 points and 6.3 assists are pretty decent. He’s a great addition to the Magic squad and should boost their betting online chances a little bit. But I would love for the old Williams to raise his head every once in a while. The lobs to Dwight Howard will be seen on a certain sports betting blog, I can guarantee it.

Sorry about the Michelle Branch, there’s a time and place for that, and this ain’t it.