2010 NBA Mock Draft version 2.0

06/21/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Last year's NBA Draft saw a couple of big men, Blake Griffin and Hasheem Thabeet, go 1-2 before it became all about the backcourt, specifically the point guard position.

The league was infiltrated in 2009-10 by a whole host of quarterbacks with some serious upside. Milwaukee's Brandon Jennings and Minnesota's Jonny Flynn, along with the Hornets' Darren Collison and Jrue Holiday of the Sixers, all look like long-time starters. Denver's Ty Lawson also showed enough to suggest he may also be handling a team relatively soon.

Meanwhile, Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans of the Sacramento Kings and Golden State's Stephen Curry proved to be upper-echelon combo guards in their rookie seasons, and perhaps the most ballyhooed backcourt prospect of them all, Spain's Ricky Rubio, never even made it over from Europe after being selected by the Timberwolves with the fifth overall pick.

The frontcourt was a different story. Griffin was last season's No. 1 overall pick by the Los Angles Clippers but missed his entire rookie season with a stress fracture in his left knee. Thabeet, the second pick by Memphis, showed little in his first season on Beale Street, while another lottery pick, Arizona forward Jordan Hill, ended up being a bust in New York and was shipped to Houston.

This year, things have taken a 180. The depth in the backcourt figures to fall off the table after Kentucky point guard John Wall and Ohio State swingman Evan Turner go 1-2. However, there are plenty of legitimate prospects up front, starting with Kentucky center DeMarcus Cousins, Georgia Tech power forward Derrick Favors and Syracuse small forward Wesley Johnson.

Let's take a look with The Sportsbook Betting Lines's 2010 NBA Mock Draft, version 2.0:

1. - Washington Wizards - John Wall (Kentucky), Point Guard (6-3, 195) - Wall combines rare speed with the ball, along with the size and athleticism to be an elite player very early in his career. He needs to improve his jumper but could be a quicker version of Derrick Rose.

2. - Philadelphia 76ers - Evan Turner (Ohio State), Combo Guard (6-7, 215) - The Sixers jumped up from six to No. 2 in the lottery and lucked out with a virtually mistake-proof pick in Turner, the college player of the year. Turner has a tremendous feel for the game and is an extremely efficient offensive player in the mold of Portland's Brandon Roy. He should team with Holiday to give the Sixers a top-tier backcourt for the next decade or so.

3. - New Jersey Nets - Derrick Favors (Georgia Tech), Power Forward (6-9, 245) - The Nets will have the first real decision in the draft. I think Cousins has a bigger upside than either Favors or Johnson, but New Jersey already has an All-Star type center in Brook Lopez so look for them to go with Favors, a prototypical four in the mold of Kenyon Martin.

4. - Minnesota Timberwolves - Wesley Johnson (Syracuse), Small Forward (6-7, 205) - The Wolves' annual hard luck in the lottery continued this year, as the team fell from the second spot to No. 4 and will have to make a decision between Cousins and Johnson. My guess is the Wolves take the safe bet and that's Johnson, a silky-smooth small forward with a big wingspan and a nice jumper.

5. - Sacramento Kings - DeMarcus Cousins (Kentucky), Center (6-11, 280) - Last year Sacramento fell from No. 1 to four in the lottery and lucked out by snaring Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans, a player that should be the cornerstone of the franchise. The Kings reportedly asked Evans his opinion on who the pick should be this season and Tyreke wasn't shy about professing his desire to play with Cousins. The Sacramento brass reportedly thinks Georgetown big man Greg Monroe is a safer pick but in the end, I think Cousins' upside is the difference.

6. - Golden State Warriors - Al-Farouq Aminu (Wake Forest), Combo Forward (6-8, 220) - There is a significant drop after the top five players on the board so Golden State ended up being the biggest loser in the lottery, falling from four to six. Aminu, however, has elite physical tools and a nice upside but he's a bit of a tweener and needs to add strength.

7. - Detroit Pistons - Cole Aldrich (Kansas), Center (6-11, 250) - Since Ben Wallace and Kwame Brown were the big men in the Motor City last year, you have to think Joe Dumars goes with Aldrich, a legitimate center with top-tier rebounding and defensive skills. He is limited offensively, however.

8. - Los Angeles Clippers - Luke Babbitt (Nevada), Combo Forward (6-8, 220) - The next grouping of players features more than a few power forwards and centers. Since the Clippers have Chris Kaman in the pivot and will have Griffin coming back next year at the four, they would probably like a small forward but Aminu will be off the board, so expect them to reach for Nevada's Luke Babbitt, a high-energy player with some offensive skill.

9. - Utah Jazz - Ed Davis (North Carolina), Power Forward (6-9, 225) - The rich get richer, as Utah uses the New York Knicks' pick to select the Tar Heels power forward as insurance for the injured Mehmet Okur and free agent power forward Carlos Boozer.

10. - Indiana Pacers - Greg Monroe (Georgetown), Power Forward/Center (6-10, 245) - The Pacers need a point guard badly and are reportedly shopping this pick with the intent of landing Lawson from Denver or Collison from New Orleans. Kentucky guard Eric Bledsoe would be a reach here so if they are forced to stay put, getting Danny Granger a long, athletic running mate like Monroe, a lefty with the skills of a much smaller player, wouldn't be the worst thing in the world for the Pacers.

11. - New Orleans Hornets - Ekpe Udoh (Baylor), Power Forward (6-10, 235) - Udoh has the wingspan of a 7-foot-4 player and should develop into an elite shot-blocker early in his career as well as an exceptional offensive rebounder, two attributes the Hornets desperately need.

12. - Memphis Grizzlies - Patrick Patterson (Kentucky), Combo Forward (6-8, 235) - Patterson seems like a good choice here. The Kentucky junior has the ability to move between the three and four, meaning he can play with Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph as well as provide insurance in case Randolph is involved in more off-the-floor nonsense.

13. - Toronto Raptors - Daniel Orton (Kentucky), Power Forward (6-10, 255) - The Raptors figure to lose Chris Bosh in the offseason so they will need a big man and Orton has a significant upside. He's already got the NBA body and has impressive length but his offensive game needs a lot of work despite a very soft touch that is rare among young bigs today. If Orton ends up slipping from here, he won't get by Oklahoma City at 21.

14. - Houston Rockets - Hassan Whiteside (Marshall), Center (7-0, 240) - Houston has the final lottery pick and takes some insurance for the oft- injured Yao Ming. Whiteside is coming out after his freshman season so he needs some seasoning but will be an imposing physical presence once he grows into his body. Meanwhile, Whiteside has already been working out in Houston with former Rocket great Hakeem Olajuwon.

15. - Milwaukee Bucks - Larry Sanders (VCU), Power Forward (6-10, 235) - Sanders was scheduled to work out for the Blazers but his agent nixed it, and some think he got a guarantee from the Bucks that he will be selected here if available. The Bucks added an impressive quarterback last year in Jennings, and Sanders is the type of athlete that will fit right into what the team is trying to accomplish. Scott Skiles seems to be enamored with his length and ability to help on the defensive end and the boards.

16. - Minnesota Timberwolves - Xavier Henry (Kansas), Shooting Guard (6-6, 220) - Henry, the Kansas freshman, is a physical specimen that is tailor-made for the NBA game and a young team playing the Triangle Offense like Minnesota.

17. - Chicago Bulls - Damion James (Texas), Small Forward (6-7, 230) - The Bulls want to win now and may make the big push for LeBron James. I see them going the "best available" route and that might be "the other" James, the rare senior that figures as a first-round pick. James excels in transition and is an exceptional rebounder and defender for his size.

18. - Miami Heat - Gordon Hayward (Butler), Small Forward (6-8, 210) - Dwyane Wade is the first order of business in South Beach. If Miami gets its superstar back, they could use a weak-side shooter with a high basketball IQ like Hayward to take advantage of the double-teams Wade often gets.

19. - Boston Celtics - Avery Bradley (Texas), Shooting Guard (6-2, 175) - This is a pretty high pick for a team that made a serious run at the NBA title. Since Ray Allen will likely move on in the offseason, the C's can take a flyer on Bradley, an undersized freshman that is a pure shooter and scorer.

20. - San Antonio Spurs - Eric Bledsoe (Kentucky), Combo Guard (6-0, 195) - The tread is wearing thin on both Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. George Hill could be a difference-maker down the line but the Spurs could use another active body in the backcourt and Bledsoe, while not quite ready, can play both positions and has a solid upside.

21. - Oklahoma City Thunder - Solomon Alabi (Florida State), Center (7-1, 240) - The Thunder are very skilled on the wings and in the backcourt so they should be looking for another big body and the raw Nigerian big man with a defensive upside is a nice value pick here.

22. - Portland Trail Blazers - James Anderson (Oklahoma State), Shooting Guard (6-6, 195) - Anderson is slight but tough and could be the best pure shooter in this year's draft. Chad Buchanan, the Blazers' director of college scouting, recently said there would likely be "two really solid catch-and- shoot guys" that could help the team at 22 and that definition fits Anderson to a tee. A reach would be Jon Scheyer from Duke.

23. - Minnesota Timberwolves - Paul George (Fresno State), Combo Forward (6-8, 210) - George is a rangy guy that can handle the ball very well for a wing player and run the floor. Anybody who can put the ball in the basket should be considered by the Wolves.

24. - Atlanta Hawks - Armon Johnson (Nevada), Combo Guard (6-3, 190) - With Joe Johnson likely moving on and Mike Bibby getting a bit long in the tooth, Johnson, a lefty combo guard with decent size, seems like a nice fit. Johnson should be a 10-to-15 minute guy to give Bibby a blow early on with the ability to turn into a starter down the line. "Realistically, at that area in the draft, you are looking at the best available player," new Hawks coach Larry Drew said.

25. - Memphis Grizzlies - Elliott Williams (Memphis), Shooting Guard (6-4, 180) - The Grizz will have already selected at No. 12 and also have the 28th pick, so you can assume that there will be some wheeling and dealing at some point. But for this exercise, they stay put and take the local product, a versatile southpaw guard with upper-echelon athleticism.

26. - Oklahoma City Thunder - Devin Ebanks (West Virginia), Small Forward (6-7, 205) - Ebanks is an active wing player that can get after people defensively and has a nice touch around the basket.

27. - New Jersey Nets - Lance Stephenson (Cincinnati), Shooting Guard (6-5, 210) - A tough, athletic freshman with an NBA-ready body. His power and quickness could cause a lot of trouble on the blocks in a few years.

28. - Memphis Grizzlies - Gani Lawal (Georgia Tech), Power Forward (6-9, 235) - Lawal is a big guy with great length that can play minutes at both center and power forward.

29. - Orlando Magic - Stanley Robinson (UConn), Combo Forward (6-8, 220) - Normally, I would expect the Magic to take a European player and leave him overseas but a poor performance against Boston means they will take a talent. Robinson can run the floor and finish, but lacks a top-tier jumper.

30. - Washington Wizards - Dominique Jones (South Florida), Shooting Guard (6-4, 215) - The Wizards finish the first round by getting Wall a running mate in Jones. a powerfully-built combo guard with a nice offensive game.

54. - Los Angeles Clippers - Latavious Williams (NBADL), Combo Forward (6-8, 210)

59. - Orlando Magic - Tyren Johnson (Louisiana-Lafayette), Small Forward (6-8, 205)

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American Idol Betting Odds: Season 6

The online gambling websites are in the process of deciphering each American Idol contestant and his or her chances of winning Season 6 to come up with the early American Idol betting lines.

Tim Dalton of MySportsbook.com has been locked away in a soundproof room coming up with all the latest tallies, we are told. "American Idol has become one of the most significant betting events of the year," claims Jack Black of MySportsbook.com. "Last year, millions were bet during the season across the globe, not just in America.

It's tough early on since we really do not have a glimpse as to how well each of these individuals will perform solo on a week-to-week basis. It's like Week 1 of the NFL. Pre-season means nada!

We do know the 24 finalists however.

Sanjaya Malakar is the young man whose sister failed to make it into the Top 24. He's very low key but - unless he totally flubs - will probably win over the young girlie vote for a few weeks anyway. He's too young to go all the way, according to Payton O'Brien.

Brandon Rogers - Who?

Phil Stacy is the military guy who missed his daughter's birth because of the Memphis audition. He should go a good distance.

Chris Sligh - He's got the humor and in many ways he's the Anti-American Idol much like last year's winner Taylor Hicks was. And this is why he'll probably get pretty far in this competition. He's chubby, white with a big curly afro....but more importantly, a great voice! People love "real", not "real cute" to go all the way.

"Blake Lewis should go far because of his uniqueness and looks. He's the boy next store with a twist - he beat boxes. But on top of this, he's a great singer, and I adore him," Payton O'Brien relayed.

A talented beat-boxer Blake Lewis was a hit during the group sing in Hollywood but Simon explained that this is a singing contest just before he told him he was “in.”

Paul Kim has caught our own roving reporter, Jenny Woo's eyes.

"I love the fact that there is a Korean American on the show and he is bound to get more Asians tuning into the show," Woo said from her Miami Beach estate. "There has never been a major presence of Asian-Americans on American Idol in the past. He's a hottie with a nice voice so that should help to take him far. Expect heavy betting action from the Asian community."

Sundance Head - He's not perfect, but he's got the personality that will take him through a few weeks, plus he's got the lineage (son of Roy Head - whose 1965 single, "Treat Her Right," hit No. 5 in the charts)

And the others:

Rudy Cardinas
AJ Tabaldo - the 5th time is the charm
Nicolas Pedro
Chris Richardson
Jared Cotter

The girls

"Melinda Doolittle has one of the best voices," says MySportsbook.com Reporter and an acclaimed dancer in her own right, Destiney Lewis. "It is great to see a back up singer step out like she has. The girl needs to gain more confidence but that can also be a positive. I think she will go far."

Alena Alexander - Those tears (she never seems to stop bawling) should get her far.

"Single mom Lakisha Jones I suspect will be a pretty big favorite entering Week 1 of the competition," says Destiny Williams. Jones is an excellent singer and down to earth. "She'll have a wide appeal," echoed O'Brien.

Nicole Trellis - Seems to exert confidence.

Amy Krebs - a powerful singer.

Antonella Barba
Gina Glocksen
Hailey Scanardo
Jordan Sparks
Stephanie Edwards
Leslie Hunt
Sabrina Sloan

MySportsbook.com is offering a 20% signup bonus with an initial deposit (i.e. open your American Idol betting account with $300, receive another $60 in which to bet with).

Last two contestants will be?

1 Male/1 Female +100 (a $10 bet pays $10 plus your initial $10)

2 Males +170 (a $10 bet pays $17 plus your initial $17)

2 Females +130 (a $10 bet pays $13 plus your initial $10)

MySportsbook.com is an online sportsbook accepts Visa Credit Cards and online sportsbook accepts Mastercard Credit Cards for easy American Idol betting lines.

Elite 8 NCAA Tournament Betting at online sportsbook MySportsbook.com

In what should be an outstanding Saturday of March Madness betting action, the top four teams in the South and West Regions square off in what should be extremely close match-ups. Three of the four teams are coming off extremely close games on Thursday evening, only UCLA won semi comfortably over Pitt 64-55.

Ohio State is coming off their second game in a row where in all reality they should have lost. Of course that doesn’t matter now since the name of the game is “survive and advance” but as the tournament continues, they can’t afford to keep getting down to their opponents early. Kansas also avoided a scare by holding off a scrappy Southern Illinois squad. In the third thrilling game of the evening Memphis pulled off the minor upset (+3.5) despite being the higher seed to Texas A&M.

Although the spreads are fairly small for Saturday’s games, MySportsbook.com continue to bet against the underdogs. Despite OSU’s two scares, 86% of the “betting public” feels the Buckeyes (-1.5) have what it takes to make the Final Four. In fact, so much of the early money is on OSU that the line has already moved from -1 to -1.5. In the second game of the doubleheader, Kansas and their high-powered offense are 2 point favorites as they take on UCLA and their effective defense. About 63% of the early money thus far is once again backing the favorites. If those percentages stay that high, don’t be surprised if this line moves as well. If you like Kansas (-2) you might want to jump on it early.

Memphis vs. Ohio State

Both squads were involved in thrillers on Thursday evening and should come out fired up. OSU can ill afford to get behind early like they did versus their previous two opponents (Xavier, Tennessee). Greg Oden needs to stay out of foul trouble; the Buckeyes are a completely different team when he is on the court. Memphis definitely has the athleticism and length to match-up with OSU. Of Memphis’ five leading minute earners, the shortest of the bunch is 6’5”. Each team has a very effective defense; Memphis surrenders 62.3 PPG whereas the Buckeyes give up only 61 PPG. With those type of numbers, it isn’t surprising that Memphis covered the UNDER almost 69% of the time this season. As a favorite, OSU has covered the UNDER almost 66% of the time over the last three seasons. The major concern for Memphis which is magnifies this time of the year is their brutal foul shooting (62%). This season, OSU is 17-11 ATS versus teams with a winning record and 7-2 ATS in all tournament games. Memphis has been an extremely reliable cover in tournament play in recent years with a 23-8 ATS record over the last three seasons.

UCLA vs. Kansas

In the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader, UCLA will play in a role which they are very unfamiliar with that of the underdog. Only twice this season have they been getting points from the handicappers and both times they covered. Over the last three seasons UCLA is a reliable 23-7 ATS in this unfamiliar role. UCLA has not fared well against Big 12 opponents recently going 1-7 ATS since 1997. Giving up only 59.6 PPG, UCLA will definitely look to do what they do best: keep this game as low scoring as possible. Their defense has been especially tough during the tournament. UCLA opponents have been able to muster up only 48.7 PPG while shooting a combined 34.5% from the field. UCLA definitely has a challenge at hand with a Kansas team that is capable of putting points on the board in bunches. As a team, they average 79 PPG and shoot an impressive 49.6% from the field and 39.4% from beyond the arc. During the tournament Kansas has been “lights out” from the field having shot 56.2%.

With Friday -105 juice on Basketball betting, MySportsbook.com is the place to bet on all of the “March Madness” action. Don’t forget to monitor who the public is backing at MySportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends”. By doing so, you have the best chance of predicting a possible line change, thus getting the best value for your wager.

To bet on March Madness games this online sportsbook accepts credit cards

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2010 NBA Mock Draft version 2.0

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