• Boston Celtics

Boston continues to ride the motivation of losing that brutal Game 7 in L.A. last June. The litany of injuries, specifically to big men, have turned Doc Rivers’ lineup into a revolving door but the team’s depth has allowed them to maintain success while names like Garnett, Shaq, O’Neal and Rondo have all missed time. With a night-to-night change in who’s wearing street clothes and who’s wearing shorts, the constants for the Cs have been Ray Allen and the team’s captain Paul Pierce. Allen has been the model of efficiency and consistency, shooting %50 from the field and %45 from three-point range while playing the most minutes on the team. The team’s most valuable player has been “The Truth”, who continues to will the Celtics to victory with his leadership and toughness. When watching Boston play it is clear that Pierce is the heartbeat of the team – pacing his squad with his positive attitude, competitive nature and, of course, clutch buckets. The recent return of center Kendrick Perkins, who missed the first half of the season recovering from a knee injury suffered in last summer’s Finals, will further extend the league’s deepest rotation and strengthen the Celtics as the NBA schedule goes on.

• San Antonio Spurs

The team with the league’s best record resides in the Alamo city and Coach Greg Poppovich still doesn’t look happy. Discipline with a scowl has always been Pop’s style and no one can ever challenge it as San Antonio again has risen above reservations concerning their age and health to hold onto their position as one of the league’s elite. A poor showing on the road against streaking division rival New Orleans had to be perturbing for Poppovich who saw his team lose more games (3) in January than they did in any other month this season. Still, the Spurs have a championship formula with their balanced, efficient scoring and team defense. As the great Tim Duncan begins his decline into the league’s best role player, San Antonio’s backcourt of

Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili have stepped up into their roles as the team’s primary options and are providing high scores with aplomb. The Spurs have also been buoyed by their bench; a motley crew of veterans and youngsters who play hard, led by the grizzled Antonio McDyess and Gary Neal, a 26 year old rookie guard from Baltimore whose knockdown three-point shooting has provided a spark for the team on many occasions. A well-structured, first place team that puts an emphasis on efficiency, defense and solidarity – San Antonio, same as it ever was.

• Los Angeles Lakers

Only the Lakers can have a record of 32-13, sit in second place in the Western Conference in the NBA standings and hear the word “panic” used when being discussed. Media and fans might be in distress over the Lakers’ disappointing losses to Miami, San Antonio, Dallas and the little brother Clippers but it’s simply business as usual for Kobe, Phil and the gang. Regular season lulls have become the norm for this edition of the Lakeshow and they are always followed by surges in the second half and postseason success. For a team that has already won two championships and is capable of winning most games without a complete lineup or effort, sometimes outside criticism and concern can be an inspirational kick in the pants. Example: After Lakers great Jerry West muttered to fans at a car dealership that the team’s age is hindering their defense and that archrival Boston is his choice to win the championship, the purple and gold laid a 29-point beat down on perennial conference pest Utah at home.

• Miami Heat

After reeling off a streak of 21 wins in 22 games beginning at the end of November, Miami dipped through an inevitable valley, losing 4 straight and suffering injuries to all three members of their star trio. LeBron James’ return to the lineup on Saturday as the lone member of Miami Thrice in uniform propelled the Heat to end the short slide and blow out the Toronto Raptors by 17 points. In that game Mike Miller, who was intended to be the team’s fourth scorer when he was signed in the offseason, finally found his shooting stroke, making six three pointers on the way to 32 points after scoring none in 3 games at home. The Three Masons are banged up but if Miller can consistently provide points and range shooting off the bench, Coach

Erik Spoelestra will be more than happy with January’s results. James will surely be in lone rock star form on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden, where Miami will take on the New York Knicks minus Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. LeBron always puts on a show in the world’s most famous arena and a night without his band mates should free him to dominate the game individually like he did so often throughout six years as a Cleveland Cavalier. A win against a potential playoff team in New York should stave off doubters for another day and give the team confidence that it can weather the blizzard of midseason ailments.

• Chicago Bulls

With center Joakim Noah out with a thumb injury and power forward Carlos Boozer struggling through an ankle sprain, leading MVP-candidate Derrick Rose has kept the Bulls competitive by taking over games with regularity. Rose has been stupendous in the month of January, averaging 26 points and 7 assists while leading Chi town to a 10-4 record. Watching the point guard exercise his confident open court stride, gorgeous crossover and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon hops, it becomes clear that the Bulls will have a chance to beat anybody come spring time with the ball in Rose’s hands. Thouh the hometown hero receives the bulk of the press, forward Luol Deng has been integral to the success of Coach Tom Thibodeau’s squad. Thibodeau’s effective defensive system (Chicago is ranked third in the league in points allowed per game) is motorized by Deng’s ability to lock the opponent’s top perimeter scorer in the basement and his 17 points per game have been a helpful compliment to Rose’s offense.

1) Carmelo Anthony

Anthony has told the Nuggets that he has no intention of re-signing with the team, and while that news hardly came as a surprise to Denver GM Masai Ujiri, it might help to accelerate the process of finding a suitable trade partner. While the New Jersey Nets have the most interesting package of young talent to offer the Nuggets, the New York Knicks figure to have a say in the talks given the fact that New York is Anthony’s most desired destination. There have been rumors of contending teams being prepared to acquire Melo as a rental player for a championship run, but that seems unlikely. A team such as Dallas could make such a move, but they would run the risk of disturbing a winning team for a player that may only play half a season for them. The Knicks could offer young forwards Wilson Chandler and Anthony Randolph with Eddy Curry’s huge expiring deal thrown in to make the money right, while the Nets have supposedly put rookie forward Derrick Favors and standout guard Devin Harris on the table. The Nets have more to offer Denver (and higher draft picks), while the Knicks have more to offer Anthony. As the Nuggets get deeper in the NBA schedule, the more talks will heat up.

2) Richard Hamilton

The Pistons and their star guard seem destined for a split now that Hamilton has plainly expressed his distaste for Coach Jon Kuester and the organization of what is now a sub-.500 team in the NBA standings. Hamilton is stuck competing for playing time with fellow guards Rodney Stuckey, Ben Gordon and Will Bynum and has struggled to find his way as the offense no longer runs through him. A natural suitor for Rip would be Utah, who has long coveted a scoring 2-guard. Jazz Coach Jerry Sloan would appreciate Hamilton’s work ethic, high basketball I.Q., terrific shooting and championship credo. Hamilton himself would naturally be inspired by a change of scenery, especially a move to a contender. Utah could offer a package of C.J. Miles and former Piston Mehmet Okur and the team also has over $5 million in trade exceptions.

3) Andray Blatche

The young power forward has admitted that the trade rumors have troubled his mind, which is to be expected of a player who has spent his entire career in one city. Blatche is currently putting up good numbers for a bad team and a big man who scores could certainly be used by a large percentage of the league. The fifth year Syracuse native also has a favorable contract at $5 million per year. Cleveland, searching for any kind of frontcourt scoring assistance, has expressed interest. The Cavs would most likely offer a combination involving backup point guard Ramon Sessions (who would immediately fill the void left by Gilbert Arenas as Washington’s third guard), a small forward and draft picks.

4) Baron Davis

Davis’ contract is one of the worst in the league, given the point guard’s poor performance in his hometown and his apparent disillusionment with the profession of playing basketball in general. Still, when on his game B. Diddy is one of the NBA’s best players, as proven by his surreal run with Golden State three years ago. In the right situation Baron could revert to his explosive self and help a squad make a deep run in the playoffs. Davis’ placement on the market has been pushed by the play of rookie guard Eric Bledsoe, so it appears as if the Clippers would be searching for young players and cap space as compensation. As it stands now, few teams would be interested in acquiring an albatross contract such as Davis’, despite the prodigious talent he has displayed in the past. Rumors have swirled detailing a possible return to Charlotte for Diddy, but the rift between the guard and current Bobcat coach Paul Silas might be irreparable – even for Michael Jordan himself. The Bobcats would likely offer a combination of Matt Carroll and DeSagana Diop, but those contracts run three and two more years; hardly a relief for the Clips. A more logical trade would be for the Atlanta Hawks to ship Marvin Williams and Mike Bibby to Los Angeles. Atlanta would instantly streamline into a fast and athletic unit, improving defensively, while L.A. would escape from the daunting $13 million per year Davis is owed while acquiring a decent young starter in Williams and a proven veteran presence in Bibby.

NBA betting online enthusiasts looking for the latest edge over the have come to the right place.

Each season, several telling trends form for basketball sports betting handicappers to consider. Through almost half of the 2010-11 seasons, here are several trends we have noticed.

Straight Up Trends:

In a rather intriguing revelation, it was discovered that home teams had a higher win percentage at 58.79 percent than road teams at 38.14 percent. Essentially through the first quarter of the season, away teams had a win loss record of 222 to 360. Meanwhile, home teams formed a record of 348 wins and 234 losses.

What’s perhaps most astounding were the straight up stats between favorites and underdogs. Thus far in the season, bettors taking the favorite, would have won their bets with a win percentage of 66.01 percent. Yet if you took the underdogs in that same span, you would have only won 31.84 percent of your games.

Moreover, home and away favorites shared almost identical win percentages thus far in the 2010-11 NBA betting season. For instance, home favorites had a win loss record of 279 – 136, good enough for 67.23 winning percentage. While the road favorites had a win loss of 90-54 good enough for a win percentage of 62.50 percent.

Against The Spread Trends:

When it comes to point spread betting trends, fans should expect a little closer of a win percentage between away and home teams. For example, so far this season, road teams have a record of 274-271-14 against the point spread for a win percentage of 50.28.

On the other hand, to find the home team’s record against the point spread, simply reverse the wins and losses for the road team. This would form a record of 271-274-14 good enough for a win percentage of 49.72 percent.

NFL betting players only have one matchup on Christmas Day, and it’s not even that good, so they should make their way over to the NBA portion of their sportsbook for a full slate of games. Here are tips for three of the five Christmas Day matchups.

Bulls Knicks Betting (Saturday, 12:00 PM ET)

The Knicks should be favored in this clash of two teams making their way up the Eastern Conference ranks, and they’re 3-2 SU and ATS in their last five at Madison Square Garden against the Bulls, who are 9-4 ATS on the road. The Knicks are 7-6-1 ATS at home this season.

Celtics Magic Betting (Saturday, 2:30 PM ET)

The Celtics should be favored on the road in Orlando, where they are 3-2 SU and 4-1 ATS in their last five trips. Boston is 9-4 ATS away from home in 2010, while the Magic are 6-8-1 ATS at Amway Arena. Both teams have issues (Boston with injuries, Orlando with new players), but they’ll want to make a statement in this matchup of Eastern Conference powers.

Heat Lakers Betting (Saturday, 5:00 PM ET)

The Lakers should be favored at home on Christmas Day, and they’ve played on this day every year since 1999 (this is Kobe Bryant’s 13^th Christmas game). The Lakers are 5-8 ATS at home, while the Heat are 9-6 ATS on the road. There will be a ton of star power at the Staples Center, and the Heat will be out to show they can push the champions. You should be watching this game whether you’re a betting player or not.

• Boston Celtics

The legendary Cs crew continues to roll. The Celtics have quietly won 10 straight while everyone wondered whether or not Dallas was “for real” during their streak. Well, Boston’s greatness is a certainty, with Rondo leading the league in assists, KG at his healthiest in three years, Ray pouring it in as per usual and the Truth drumming the team’s heartbeat. Doc Rivers’ hoarse advice is being heeded and the Celtics appear to be prepared for the treacherous winter ahead, refusing to slow their pace as the season goes on. Oh, and the Shaquisition has panned out quite nicely.

• Dallas Mavericks

The Mavs’ streak ended at 12 games after a loss to the Bucks, but don’t expect Dirk’s bunch to slow down. Dallas has been playing their best defense in years for Rick Carlisle, due in no small part to the energetic play of their anchor at center, Tyson Chandler. The big man has provided the interior toughness that had been lacking for the finesse Mavericks and has proved to be the perfect complement to the perimeter-oriented Nowitzki. Jason Kidd continues to be one of the greatest floor generals in league history, doing a little bit of everything on every night while the swingman trio of Caron Butler, Shawn Marion and DeShawn Stephenson has given the team defensive intensity and physical play from the wings.

• San Antonio Spurs

Tim Duncan, statistically, is declining. Or so they say. The Big Fundamental might just be taking it easy and letting his squad carry him to the playoffs for a change. The Spurs go 11 deep, so Timmy’s burden has been eased. Coach Gregg Poppovich has the team getting up and down the floor in a fashion that seems foreign for the militaristic master of the grinding pace, utilizing the speed of guards Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, both of whom are enjoying fantastic seasons. Richard Jefferson has improved vastly from his first year as a Spur and a mix of veterans and youngsters have provided depth off the bench. The Spurs have the best record in the NBA standings and appear to have regained their mojo. Timmy will take the hit, statistically.

• Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakeshow has lost some its shine in the past few games on the NBA schedule, especially in a loss to Derrick Rose and the Bulls last Friday. Still, L.A. has a chance to rattle off several victories on an Eastern Conference road trip before their showdown with the Three Masons of Miami on Christmas day. Kobe and Gasol have been their usual dominant selves and Lamar Odom has had a fantastic season filling out the starting lineup in the absence of center Andrew Bynum. The big kid should return to the floor for the Lakers in the near future, which would send Odom back to a much-improved bench led by the Three Bs: Steve Blake, Matt Barnes and Shannon Brown. The Lakers need better defense from the point guard position and for Ron Artest to pick up his shooting, but that might just be early season nitpicking for the reigning champs.

• Chicago Bulls

Derrick Rose has been spectacular, scoring over 24 points per game and leading the charge from the point of attack in crunch time for Chicago. Rose looks like a longer version of Allen Iverson – a lightning quick guard who can blow by anybody, then finish at the rim with a combination of strength, athleticism and creativity. Now that the third year guard has improved his passing (up to 8 assists per game), the sky is the limit for the one they call Pooh. Even the heavens might be too low for Rose as he seems to elevate higher and faster every time he jumps. Carlos Boozer’s return from injury has provided a perfect complement to Rose’s sprint, as the Bulls now have a legitimate low post option in the half court offense.

• Miami Heat

Their decimation of the city of Cleveland seems to be the starting point for their realization of chemistry and recent success. Coach Spoelstra’s movement of Dwyane Wade to the block has cleared space for LeBron to operate as the team’s primary playmaker, and has in turn sparked Wade’s recent scoring tear. Statistically the Heat have the league’s best defense, and while most will point to their record being bolstered by wins against losing teams, no one can argue with the sheer force they have displayed over the course of this current 9 game streak. Erick Dampier of all people might turn out to be one of the most crucial signees of the season.

• Oklahoma City Thunder

Finding a balance between Westbrook and Durant is an enviable problem. The emergence of James Harden as a contributor has been a welcome sight. The thick bearded two-guard was superb as a fill-in scorer during Durant’s recent absence, and he seems to be gaining a grasp of his NBA niche. The Thunder’s defense has taken a step back from last year, but that should improve as the season goes along. Besides, this team can match NBA scores with anyone.

• Utah Jazz

Deron Williams is playing at a remarkably high level and should get some MVP consideration for the way he has led his troops. Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap have teamed to provide Coach Jerry Sloan with a new era frontcourt – the pair rebounds, defends and scores at a better rate than their predecessors Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur. The true spark for this team has come from an unlikely source however; sixth man C.J. Miles. Miles has provided three point shooting and defense, while leading the team in scoring for several of its wins. If Miles can continue his production from the 2-guard position, normally a weak spot for the Jazz, Utah might finally be prepared to do battle with the conference’s power players, and more specifically, their tormenter Kobe Bryant.

• Orlando Magic

Dwight continues to dominate, but this team will need a shake up to compete for the conference’s top spot. Vince Carter, Jameer Nelson and Rashard Lewis are all tradable as the identity of this team, its defense, comes from Howard and Coach Stan Van Gundy, not these three-point chuckers.

• New York Knicks

Amare balled out over Chanukah, averaging over 30 points per game during the team’s 8 game win streak. A true test comes on Wednesday against the Celtics, who refuse to recognize the Knicks as a true “rival”. Rumors swirl suggesting Carmelo Anthony’s arrival in the Big Apple is imminent, but in the meantime the Garden faithful should be happy watching D’Antoni orchestrate his fast break offense, headlined by his goggled throw down artist

Stoudemire.

Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski doesn’t like “one and done” college stars, but he might very well have one in freshman point guard Kyrie Irving. Irving has exploded onto the NCAA scene with his scoring and playmaking ability, seamlessly joining upperclassmen Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler in the reigning national champions’ starting lineup. Coach K and the Duke players have marveled at Irving’s talent and maturity and seem to recognize that not only is he the team’s best player, he might be the spark to a top spot in the NCAA basketball standings and back-to-back titles.

Irving’s journey to the national spotlight began at the other end of the world. Kyrie spent the first year and a half of his life in Melbourne, Australia while his father, Drederick played professional basketball there. Upon moving to the U.S., Irving became a prep school star in New Jersey, dominating at Montclair Kimberley Academy, then St. Patrick’s High School. Despite his origin and dual-citizenship, Irving decided it would be best to suit up for the U.S. internationally and did so this past summer, contributing to the team that won the FIBA U-18 championship. Like most Blue Devils, Irving has the mark of a winner. The freshman has shown the ability to run a team and has impressed backcourt mate Smith with his confidence. Irving is second to Smith as the team’s leading scorer, just barely, and is just above the senior in assists per game. Together, the pair is the country’s best guard combo. Irving has put up double figure scores in every game, but his two most recent performances on the NCAA basketball schedule have been his best. Against no. 6 Michigan State, Irving went off for 31points and crushed senior Kailin Lucas, one of the country’s best lead guards, in a head-to-head matchup. In a rematch of last season’s championship game against Butler, Irving showed his versatility; pouring in three 3-pointers on his way to 21 points.

Even Krzyzewski is surprised at how quickly Irving has taken a hold on a championship team, and when asked about his fabulous frosh, the great orator has been unusually short for words. Perhaps Coach K is troubled by the fact that one of his greatest recruits might stay for only one season, or maybe he simply recognizes that he’s coaching the best player in college basketball. With rival North Carolina’s pre-season All-American freshman Harrison Barnes struggling, Irving is a shoe-in for Freshman of the Year and the guard’s play of late has suggested that he might be contending for National Player of the Year honors as well. Smith is still the team’s leader and go-to scorer, but Irving has proved he is capable of taking the reins. Irving mixes great instincts with a talent to change gears and speeds, making key penetration seem simple. Kyrie’s touch around the basket and ability to finish with contact has NBA scouts drooling, and his recent shooting exhibition should only up his stock. Coach K hopes that Irving’s career in Durham lasts a little longer, but he knows that if number 1 continues to play like this, he’ll be leaving with a National title. Krzyzewski has succumbed to the trend of signing mercenary freshmen, which is sad in principle, but it is a pleasure watching the top recruit receive the best possible leadership.

While no one predicted that the Rockets would win the Western Conference this season, Houston was largely seen as a dark horse challenger thanks to the return of all-star center Yao Ming and the rapid development of point guard Aaron Brooks. Last season, the Rockets were struck by an assortment of injuries, most notably a stress fracture suffered by Yao in the 2008-2009 playoffs that forced him to miss the following year. With Yao back for 20010-11, though, this was supposed to be the year that Houston finally got healthy and made their way up the NBA standings. So far, the season has looked like just another repeat of recent history.

Just five games into the season, Yao went down with a high ankle sprain that has kept him out of practice until this week. Watching a big man suffer through a series of debilitating injuries is perhaps more tragic than seeing guards and swingmen-who play aggressive, above-the-rim games-suffer from the same afflictions. Basketball followers have to feel for Yao, who has been such an important and upstanding icon in the NBA since he was drafted first overall in 2002. Injuries have taken their toll on his seven-foot-six body over the course of seven years playing against the best in the world, and it seems highly unlikely that Yao will ever regain the form that made him arguably the top true center in the league for years.

Since the 2006-2007 season, Yao’s statistical output has dropped from 25 points and nine rebounds a contest to ten points and five boards early through this year. Yao is still a threat to score when he catches the ball anywhere near the basket or faces up for a jumper, but his mobility has been severely hampered by injuries, and Houston is no longer built for the same half-court pace they were three years ago.

Yao has spoken openly about retiring after this season, and while Houston would suffer from the loss of one of its most well-liked citizens, the loss of Yao would in fact enable the Rockets to overhaul their roster and create a team more suited to the fast-paced games of current stars Brooks and Kevin Martin, as well as up-and-coming youngsters like Chase Budinger and Courtney Lee.

Yao’s struggle to overcome recent injuries is an indication of the dangers of building a franchise around a big man with great size and a history of injuries. The Portland Trail Blazers have found themselves in a similar situation this season with center Greg Oden, a talented but injury-prone big who management gambled on as a major franchise piece, but who has yet to put together a full NBA season.

Expect the Rockets to take advantage of a soft upcoming NBA schedule to ease Yao back into the lineup, but while the seven year vet may in fact get through the season without another devastating injury, the dominant Yao of years past is likely gone forever.

The Toronto Raptors play host to the New York Knicks in a matinee performance Sunday afternoon at the Air Canada Centre. The Raptors are hoping to improve on a mediocre home record, and move up from the bottom of the NBA standings. Toronto’s young squad will have a golden opportunity to build confidence while putting on a show for fans against the defensively-challenged Knicks.

The Raptors have played mostly to expectations so far this season, currently sporting a 6-11 record-good for third place in a weak Atlantic Division. The Knicks, meanwhile, have struggled with consistency and are once again one of the poorest defensive squads in the league, even after the blockbuster addition of Amare Stoudemire over the summer.

Toronto has shown flashes of potential this year, but is definitely a few years and a couple major signings away from playoff contention. Andrea Bargnani is the only “marquee” name on the Raptors’ roster, and is averaging 20 points but only five rebounds per contest. The Raptors have struggled with generating consistent offence outside of Bargnani, and second-year shooting guard DeMar DeRozan has yet to put together a string of solid performances. Jose Calderon has shown the ability to score in bunches, but is much more comfortable playing as a pure point guard.

For New York, Stoudemire has managed to produce some statistically impressive games, but has struggled as the leader of the franchise. The power forward is averaging 24 points and almost nine boards per game, but the Knicks are just one game above .500 at this point in the season. Any hope that Stoudemire or new point guard Raymond Felton would bring more of a defensive identity to Mike D’Antoni’s club has been thrown out the window: the Knicks are fourth in the league in points per game, but 28^th in points allowed.

The key matchup on Sunday afternoon will be at the wing positions, as DeRozan and Sonny Weems will take turns trying to stop the offensively explosive tandem of Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler. The Knicks duo has the edge in offensive abilities, but Weems and DeRozan are athletic enough to rein them in. Raptors power forward Amir Johnson will likely get the starting nod from Head Coach Jay Triano as rebounding-machine Reggie Evans sits out with injury. Johnson is still fairly raw, but has shown much better defensive awareness and offensive competency this season. If he can play Stoudemire tough without getting in foul trouble, the Raptors have a definite shot to win the game.

Without a point guard capable of running the pick-and-roll to perfection on every possession, New York has been living and dying by the three-point shot this season. The Knicks attempt the second-most threes of any team in the NBA, but are ranked 22^nd in three-point conversions. When the Knicks get hot, they can put up some of the highest NBA scores in the league, and the Raptors will do all they can to avoid being on the losing end of those scores.

NCAA football betting players don’t have to worry about the one-and-done era permeating their sport as it has on the hardwood, as the top five picks slated to go in next year’s draft are all freshmen.

Harrison Barnes, North Carolina – The much-hyped rookie is still working on his rhythm, but he already has an NBA body and word is he has a great attitude, which is different from most freshmen of his pedigree.

Perry Jones, Baylor – Jones is 6’11″ with the handles of a guard, and as he goes, he’ll learn that he doesn’t have to do it all by himself as Jones has a tendency to try and take on a team on his own.

Kyrie Irving, Duke – Some say Irving has the potential to be the best point guard to come out of Duke, and that is high praise. His aggressiveness is perfect for the Duke system, and unlike most freshmen, Irving makes some good decisions.

Jared Sullinger, Ohio State – Sullinger is the next big man to come out of Columbus, and while he’s not that athletic, Sullinger can pound it in the paint, which wears on opposing defenses and gets them in foul trouble.

Brandon Knight, Kentucky – The next one in the John Calipari School of Points Guards, Knight is more Derrick Rose than John Wall in that he is a very strong guard, and he’s probably a better outside shooter than either Rose or Wall were as freshmen. This bodes very well if you’re going to lay on bet on Kentucky next March.

Kobe Bryant

Basketball pundits expected a severe drop-off in Kobe’s production this year following summer knee surgery and the debilitating effects of age. However, Bryant is having himself a career year, averaging right around 25 points, five assists, and six boards per game. If the Lakers keep up their torrid pace throughout the regular season, Bryant has to be considered the leading candidate for MVP. While the Lakers are arguably the deepest and most balanced team in the league, their current position near the top of the NBA standings is due primarily to the work of Bryant.

New Orleans has been the biggest surprise team of the young season, but Paul’s role in catalyzing that success could have been predicted from miles away. The fifth-year point guard is averaging a double-double with just under 17 points and just over ten dimes a contest. He is the quintessential

floor general, and is showing no signs of discontentment with the Hornets right now. Paul is unique in his ability to shut down opposing guards despite being only six feet tall, and he is without doubt the most complete point guard in the NBA.

If Paul is the most complete point guard in the league, Rondo might be the most incomplete, but also possibly the best. The man who was once the “other guy” to Boston’s Big Three is now the most valuable player on the best team in the Eastern Conference, and is leading the league with a ridiculous 14.3 assists per game. Rondo still can’t shoot free throws, but he’s connecting on a third of his three point attempts this season, which is a huge relief for Head Coach Doc Rivers. Without Rondo, the Celtics are good-with their point guard, they’re one of the best.

• Derrick Rose

Rose has joined the fantasy elite, and his name is everywhere in the NBA scores. He is averaging career highs in points and assists, and the offseason work that he put in on his jump shot is paying huge dividends for Chicago, as Rose is now a long range threat as well as a nightmare to contain off the dribble. John Wall is pretty quick, but Rose might have the fastest first step in the game, and no team has quite figured out how to stop him yet.

Ellis is the primary reason the Warriors are off to a surprisingly good start in 2010-11. Plagued by trade rumors and chemistry issues all of last season, Monta has started this season looking like more of a leader and less of a ball-dominating cancer. He has shown the ability to score almost at will this year, and while he still struggles with shot selection at times, he’s averaging an impressive 25.5 points per game on almost 50 percent field goal shooting. Ellis recently went down with a bruised hip, but when he’s at full health, he’s one of the most dynamic and high-scoring guards in the NBA.