First off, two things: the NBA needs to step their security game up. Kenyon Martin’s mom was gettin’ heckled in Dallas, and I ask you, what kinda person goes at a dude’s mom? Mark Cuban is a punk. Second, fans SHOULD NOT have better seats than players. If they didn’t, “Big Baby” wouldn’t have knocked over the stupid kid. And if he was an Orlando player who made a game-winning shot, his father wouldn’t have said a word.

Now, on to some NBA odds:

Orlando at Boston (8:00 PM ET)
The Celtics should have won Game 4 by more, but their bench was terrible. It’s a good thing the Orlando guards were just as bad, as Rafer Alston and J.J. Redick combined to shoot 1-of-14, including 1-of-11 from three-point land. The Celtics are gaining steam, and unless Dwight Howard puts up 40 and 20, the Magic will be staring down the barrel of a 3-2 deficit. NBA odds favor Boston by two points. (Basketball betting pick: Boston)

Houston vs Los Angeles (10:30 PM ET)
The Lakers WILL NOT come out flat like they did in Game 4′s loss, especially Kobe Bryant, who will go into “Black Mamba” mode. The Rockets pulled out a great win in Houston without Yao Ming, but can Aaron Brooks have another 34-point game at the Staples Center? We don’t think so. NBA odds favor the Lakers by a whopping 12 points. (Basketball betting pick: Los Angeles)

Houston’s NBA odds aren’t any better after their Game 2 loss to the Lakers on Wednesday night, but the best part of it all wasn’t even the confrontation between Ron Artest and Kobe Bryant, or even the tangle between Derek Fisher and Luis Scola, but it was Artest’s post-game interview.

Oh man, so classic. Dude’s talkin’ about people gettin’ stabbed in the chest with table legs. We (old-school sportsbook players) all know the NBA isn’t the game we grew up watching, the one with the “Bad Boys” and the heated Bulls-Knicks/Bulls-Pistons rivalries, but apparently they weren’t nothing compared to what Artest saw in Queensbridge, New York.

I was thinking that there should be some sort of NBA odds on how many, or how long, it would take for Bryant and Artest to get into it. Both are hard-nosed competitors, and Bryant DID elbow Artest in the throat. He shouldn’t have been ejected from the game, even Bryant said so himself, because I think Kobe likes the challenge as proven by his 40-point explosion. They didn’t even make it out of Los Angeles. The NBA odds for another Bryant/Artest square-off? EXCELLENT.

Everyone who is planning to go against the Los Angeles Lakers’ NBA odds because of their 100-92 Game 1 loss at home to Houston: stop, have a beverage, and relax. Everything is fine with the Lake Show.

The Lakers hadn’t played since April 27th, when they wrapped up their five-game series with Utah in the first round. On top of that, Kobe Bryant couldn’t practice prior to the game because of a flu and laryngitis, and it took him 31 shots to get his 32 points. The Lakers were also a terrible 2-of-18 from beyond the arc, and they’re a pretty good three-point shooting team in general. They also struggled from the foul line, going 12-of-19, and Lamar Odom was the biggest culprit, missing five of his six chances from the charity stripe. Any team with good NBA odds are usually good from the foul line, and the Lakers are a good free-throw shooting team, so they should bounce back.

NBA odds still have the Lakers as the favorites to win this series, although the Rockets’ win changed the sportsbook line just a little bit. Expect to see a completely different Lakers team tonight when the two meet for Game 2.

The second of the NBA playoffs just got underway yesterday with Denver’s romp over Dallas. Here’s a quick run-through of who you should go with in your US-friendly sportsbook.

Nuggets vs Mavericks – I was already going to pick the Nuggets, who blasted the Mavericks at home and will do so again tomorrow night. Denver is now 5-0 against Dallas at home, and the Mavericks will squeeze out a couple of wins at home. However, they have three players who can guard Dirk Nowitzki, and more importantly, Game 1 showed the Mavs can’t stop Denver in the paint. (basketball betting pick: Denver in six)

Rockets vs Lakers – I’m setting the over/under of Kobe Bryant/Ron Artest staredowns at five. Artest and Shane Battier will share defensive duties on Bryant, while the Andrew Bynum/Yao Ming and Luis Scola/Pau Gasol matchups are also intriguing. The X-factor is Lamar Odom, as the Rockets don’t really have anyone to match up with him. NBA odds have the Lakers as a huge -1200 favorite, and this will be a hotly-contested series. (basketball betting pick: Lakers in five)

Hawks vs Cavaliers – NBA odds have Cleveland as a huge -2500 favorite, and I heard someone say over the week that if the Hawks were to get past Miami, Josh Smith could contain LeBron James. Awesome. Quite possibly the funniest thing I’ve heard this year. Mo Williams needs to be better than he was in the Detroit destruction, while Joe Johnson needs to carry the Hawks on his back for them to have the slightest chance. Atlanta may steal one at home, but not much else. (basketball betting pick: Cavs in five)

Magic vs Celtics – NBA odds have Orlando as a -125 favorite over the defending champions, who are coming off a grueling seven-game classic with Chicago. Paul Pierce looked exhausted near the end of the series while Ray Allen, who is two years older, looked like a 25-year-old jackin’ clutch threes from everywhere. Rajon Rondo won’t be able to have his way in the paint with Dwight Howard in the lane, and D-12 should dominate the Celtics’ interior defense without Kevin Garnett. It was a good run, but the Chicago series may have taken it all out of the Celtics, and the long it goes, the more it’s in Orlando’s favor. (basketball betting pick: Orlando in seven)

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)

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)