Some thoughts on All-Star Weekend before you start looking over March Madness odds in your sportsbook:

Rookie Challenge – The sophomores won a surprisingly competitive game behind a record 46 points from Kevin Durant. If he’s not in the Sunday game next year, something’s wrong.

HORSE - Durant edged out O.J. Mayo in another entertaining affair. This kid can score from anywhere.

Shooting Stars – Detroit beat the hometown team from Phoenix. This needs to cut, and soon.

Skills Challenge – Derrick Rose beat Devin Harris, and Rose didn’t even look awake until his double-pump reverse to cap off the event.

Three-Point Shootout – Daequan Cook beat Rashard Lewis in overtime, and Lewis’ seven-point

performance in that round was embarrassing.

Slam Dunk Contest – Nate Robinson was the Kryptonite to Dwight Howard’s Superman by jumping over the 7-footer, but what should be talked about is how Rudy Fernandez got hosed in the first round.

All-Star Game – The West won in a blowout, but Shaq’s dance with the Jabbawockeez during introductions was the most entertaining part. It was also good to see Shaq and Kobe Bryant together again while receiving co-MVPs of the game. To paraphrase LeBron James, it’s gonna be a sad day when the big fella hangs ‘em up. The most entertaining player and person the NBA has ever had.

Well, it’s been an eventful week at Madison Square Garden. First, Kobe Bryant set an MSG-record with 61 points as his Lakers beat the New York Knicks. Two days later, LeBron James scored 52 in his triple-double performance in another win over the Knicks. Ahead of the matchup between these two NBA betting giants on Sunday in Cleveland, the question has to be posed: which one of these All-Stars do you want on your team?

James is younger, and physically, he’s just an all-around beast. He’s also seemed to develop defensively, and most think it’s due to his experience going up against Bryant when the two led the United States to a gold medal in Beijing last summer. Bryant is more experienced, and there isn’t a player in the league with more of a killer instinct than the man with the nickname, “The Black Mamba”. James is more apt to get his teammates involved, and Bryant will too, but as he proved against the Knicks, Kobe is more than willing to gun until his arms are tired. It’s a tossup, and this probably changes every day, but if I were to choose one player, for one season, or even one game, I’ll take Bryant. If I’m starting a franchise, Bron because of his age and “potential”. You couldn’t really go wrong with either player.

The NBA is coming up on the All-Star break, but a couple teams could see their NBA betting chances of winning the championship take a big hit courtesy of some ill-timed injuries to key players.

Orlando’s Jameer Nelson should be preparing to make his All-Star debut as the fifth-year guard is having a splendid season. However, Magic fans were left holding their breath when Nelson went down hard in Monday’s 105-95 loss at home to Dallas. Nelson has been diagnosed with a torn labrum and a dislocation in his right shoulder, but he has the option of rehabbing to get through to offseason surgery. Either way, this is a damaging blow to Orlando’s NBA betting odds, as the Magic don’t have a guard close to Nelson’s caliber (although rookie Courtney Lee has looked nice this year).

Out in Tinseltown, Andrew Bynum is wishing that he never has to face the Memphis Grizzlies again. The young center on the West-leading Lakers suffered a serious knee injury for the second straight year against the Grizz, this time coming on Saturday when he was run into by teammate Kobe Bryant. The Lakers’ NBA betting chances should still be in good shape, as they reached the Finals last year without Bynu, but it’s clear they are a much better team with him. Bynum is a major presence iin the post, which opens up the floor for Bryant (Monday’s 61-point explosion in New York notwithstanding) and Pau Gasol. Bynum won’t be back before the playoffs, and even then, it’ll be up in the air.

The Toronto Raptors were a great NBA betting pick to start the season, as it looked like Chris Bosh was ready to move into the upper echelon due to his Olympic experience. But Bosh has fallen off over the last couple of months, coinciding with the firing of Sam Mitchell. Also not coincidentally, Andrea Bargnani has flourished, leaving some to wonder if Bosh is on his way out of the door next season.

Both Bosh and Bryan Colangelo have moved to quash the rumors of Bosh’s exit, started by ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith (side note: Smith is a loudmouth who is rarely right), but Bosh’s body language has been disturbing. In a 23-point loss at home to Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic on Sunday, Bosh looked completely overwhelmed by his counterpart, and spent most of his time sulking around. For Toronto to have a sniff of the postseason, they need their “All-Star” to start acting like one.