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.

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.

Word is trickling down that the Clippers, quite possibly the sorriest franchise in any sport in America or internationally, is trying to acquire Allen Iverson, who is a free agent after his terrible experience in Detroit. I don’t know how this will affect the Clippers’ online sports betting odds.

Oh wait, yes I do. First of all, anyone who makes the Clippers one of their sports picks, good odds or not, needs their head checked. Second, the Clippers were moving in a decent direction with the picks of Eric Gordon last year, and Blake Griffiin with the No.1 selection last month. They even got rid of one offensive black hole with Zach Randolph. Clipper fans are used to losing, so they were waiting to see if the kids could develop some semblance of chemistry. Now, on a team with Baron Davis, Ricky Davis and maybe Iverson? You think those kids are even gonna sese the ball? And let’s not even get into the off-the-court stuff. I’m betting management of the Clippers may have to factor bail/suspension money into this year’s budget.

Look, Iverson is my favorite player of all time, he’s a little guy that scored in bunches, but someone needs to tell him that he’s not THAT dude anymore. If he would swallow his pride, while taking a cut in playing time and money, he could be on a team like the Lakers, for example, you know….a team with half-decent offshore sportsbook odds.

Well, they did everything but give him a ticker-tape parade, but Rasheed Wallace signed with Boston today, giving the Celtics another piece of the puzzle to try and get their championship back. Had he not signed with the Celtics, it would have been a bigger surprise than if Frank Mir scored an MMA betting upset over Brock Lesnar (which I persoanlly guarantee won’t happen).

Now, the interesting part begins: will ‘Sheed take being a bench player? How does this affect Kendrick Perkins and Glen “Big Baby” Davis, who made a number of clutch shots for the Celtics in these playoffs? I’m betting management figures that Kevin Garnett will be able to talk to Wallace, who was picked one team ahead of Garnett in the 1995 draft. This obviously makes the Celtics one of the top sports picks going into the season, as Wallace brings a big body, great three-point shooting, and championship experience from his win with Detroit in 2004.

Offshore sportsbook odds on ‘Sheed’s technicals next year? They’d be fun to come up with.

I think I would rather be in a UFC betting match with Brock Lesnar this weekend than talk about the 2010 free agents again. But here we go:

-Dwayne Wade says he’ll stay in Miami if they’re contending for a title….

No, really? You think D-Wade will up and leave a team that could win again? Come on now. The problem is for D-Wade, or better yet, the Heat, is that Miami looks nowhere near a contending team, so they’re not worth wasting one of your sports picks on them. They only got as far as they did last year because D-Wade went absolutely insane, and he would have been the MVP if not for that LeBron James fella. Oh, speaking of which:

-LeBron James didn’t talk to Trevor Ariza about staying in Cleveland….

James apparently told Ariza that he was planning to stay with the Cavs in a recruitment ploy to get him to come there (which didn’t work, for either side, really). First, Ariza: why would you not go to a team that betting services are favoring to win the East, and instead stay with a team that could be losing Yao Ming for the season (and possibly his career), and Ron Artest just bolted to take your spot in L.A.? Second, James’ handlers were quick to come out and say that Bron didn’t talk to Ariza, which begs the question: what are the sports betting odds of him staying in Cleveland? This is the biggest season in the history of the Cavaliers.

So, here is a rundown of today’s top stories that will surely affect next year’s sports picks. Man, it’s been an insane beginning to the offseason, and we’re only three days in.

-Turkoglu agrees to go to Portland: well, it was due to happen after the Magic picked up Vince Carter (how crappy are the Nets gonna be next year). Portland, on the other hand, will be a force, like, a “Roger Federer Wimbledon betting” kinda force.

-Ron Artest to the Lakers: Betting software says that Ron Ron and Kobe don’t make it to the season without at least one fight in practice.

-Trevor Ariza to Houston: why didn’t these two teams just trade? And how much money does Ariza really think he’ll get? And how bummy is Houston lookin’ right about now? No Yao? Ewwwwwwwwwww.

-Phil Jackson will be back: keeping Kobe and Ron Ron from killing each other every day should get him an award in itself.

-Stephon Marbury says he probably won’t go back to Boston: so he’ll end up somewhere else to ruin another team’s NBA odds.

Well, Orlando didn’t beat the NBA Finals odds of 6.5 points against the Lakers in Game 3, but they certainly made it interesting with a record-setting performance.

The Magic shot a Finals-record 62.5% from the floor, including an insane 75% in the first half, of their 108-104 victory, and as I said, the guard play would be crucial. Rafer Alston, after being shook by Jameer Nelson’s return to the lineup, dropped 20 points of 8-of-12 shooting, while Mickael Pietrus woke up to score 18 off the bench for the Magic. It was obvious from the beginning that the Magic were much more comfortable at home than they were in L.A., as noticed by their shooting and lack of turnovers, and they managed to make a series out of a matchup that many of those who bet on sports thought was over.

The Lakers still should have won this game, but 10 missed foul shots and an uncharacteristic performance by Kobe Bryant down the stretch sealed the Lakers’ fate. Although Bryant had 31, he missed 11 of his last 15 shots, missed five of those free throws, and he had a couple of late turnovers that killed his team. Pau Gasol added 23 for the Lakers, who are still the favorites in your offshore sportsbook to take the series.

Game 4 should be a barnburner, as the Lakers will want to put Game 3 behind them (especially Bryant), and the Magic will hope they can shoot like they did on Tuesday. If they can’t, their NBA Finals odds are in a world of trouble.

Chris Bosh has been taking a beating this year. First, Toronto’s NBA odds went right down the tubes early in the season, then Shaq called him “the RuPaul of big men” after Bosh accused him of flopping. Then, this:

Back in New York, ESPN Radio’s Brandon Tierney had Amare Stoudemire on this morning and reiterated remarks about his desire to play for Mike D’Antoni in 2010 while boasting about being better than Chris Bosh. Stoudemire told The Post similar stuff during All-Star Weekend.

When Tierney asked Stoudemire if he’s better than Bosh, the Suns forward said, “Oooh man, are you kidding me? Ask Chris Bosh that question.”

“No doubt about it, I’m better than Chris Bosh”

It’s an interesting statement, as both will be free agents next year and are probably the best big men on the market. Offensively, Bosh is more polished, but Stoudamire is far more explosive and catching up rapidly in terms of technique. The problem with Stoudamire, though, is that he pays less than no attention to defense if he isn’t getting the ball on the offensive end, while Bosh will at least pretend to care. Either player could boost the NBA odds for a new team, and if you could combine them, you’d have the new MVP of the league. Bosh isn’t saying anything in reply, which isn’t surprising as he’s not as arrogant as Stoudamire. But maybe some arrogance is what CB4 needs.

As for tonight’s NBA Finals odds pick, I’m sticking with the Magic in my sportsbook. They’ll be going on
adrenaline, if anything, and the home crowd has to give them some energy. They can’t shoot any worse than they did in L.A…….can they?

NBA Finals odds are giving Orlando a chance to get back in the series when it goes back to Orlando, but they’ll need much-better guard play than they received in Los Angeles.

Lakers Magic odds - Tuesday, June 9, 9:00 PM ET

Simply put, the Magic guards were awful in the first two games of the series, and Courtney Lee’s missed (and open) layup at the end of regulation of Game 2’s 101-96 overtime loss sums up the way Orlando’s guards have started. Lee and Rafer Alston were a combined 2-of-11 for six points, and they never pressured the Lakers’ guards.  Shoot, even Derek Fisher outscored them by himself with 12 points.

You gotta be good to be lucky, and the Lakers earned some luch when Lee missed that last-second alley-oop. Kobe Bryant dropped 29 points, while Pau Gasol added 24 points and 10 boards, but the Lakers also earned their luck on the defensive end of the floor, forcing 20 Orlando turnovers. Also, Lamar Odom outscored the entire Orlando bench by himself with 19 points.

NBA odds are backing the Magic by four points at home, and their supporting cast, particularly their guards, will play better at Amway Arena. Also, Odom won’t play that well on the road (unless he eats a bowl of Skittles for breakfast again). Look for Bryant to go into “Black Mamba” mode when his teammates tighten up in Orlando, which gives the nod to the Magic. 

Lakers Magic odds pick: Orlando