Will the Heat Win the 2011 NBA Finals?

Alright, Alright. So LeBron James didn't sign with the Knicks, instead opting to join forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. But the question now is, will the Heat win it all in 2010-11, even with, basically, three players?



Well, if the odds tell us anything, they have a chance. More like, the best chance. Check out the top four teams according to their odds to take home the NBA crown next year:



Miami Heat... 7/4

LA Lakers... 11/4

Orlando Magic... 10/1

Boston Celtics... 12/1

Of these, the Heat just don't quite belong yet. They will be able to build around the big three eventually, but the Lakers are the clear cut favorites in our minds, to win the NBA Finals by way of a three-peat. So take this opportunity, with the public pounding the Heat due to the recent buzz, to pound the Lakers for yourself.



View the latest point spreads and get ahead by signing up for the NBA picks at BetFirms.com.

It's Twitter Official: LeBron James is Going to New York

The NBA's most coveted Free Agent is going to be a New York Knickerbocker... according to Jared Dudley, who came up with the greatest way to get twitter followers since @thebuckychannel decided to join the fad.

So there you have it, LeBron James to the New York Knicks. You heard it here second.

Where Will LeBron James Land in Free Agency?

The biggest free agent period in the history of the NBA is underway, so what are the odds that LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh or one of the other big free agent names lands with your favorite team?

Well, as a matter of fact, if LeBron James is your target, here are the odds that he lands in Chicago, Cleveland, Miami, New York or New Jersey:

Bulls

+300 (or 3 to 1)

Cavaliers

-200 (or 1 to 2)

Heat
+450 (or 9 to 2)

Knicks

+500 (or 5 to 1)

Nets

+700 (or 7 to 1)

Our guess? We like those +700 odds for New Jersey (soon to be Newark soon to be Brooklyn). It's close enough to the big city of New York and the life that comes with it, but more importantly, billionaire Russian owner Mikhail Prokhorov offers LeBron his best shot at becoming a global icon. That, and it's +700! Considering that nobody really knows what LBJ is thinking, why not go big or go home on this one?

One thing is for sure, it should be an interesting weekend!

2009 NBA Mock Draft: Picks 7-8

Our 2009 NBA Mock Draft of the lottery picks continues as we get to the middle of the lottery order. Next up in the guard-heavy draft are a couple of players with unique skill sets to offer to their new teams.

7. Warriors: Stephen Curry, G, Davidson

After averaging nearly 30 points per game at Davidson during his junior year, Curry finally decided to make the leap to the NBA Draft. His dead-eye shooting ability will fit right in with the Warriors lineup, particularly his range from behind the arc. Still, there are questions about Curry. His small build could get him into trouble defensively in the NBA, and it's uncertain how he'll adjust to not being the only one taking shots. Based solely on his ability to shoot the ball, though, Curry should be around in the league for a long time.

8. Knicks: Jrue Holiday, G, UCLA

The Knicks would have loved Curry at the eight spot, but Holiday makes for one heck of a consolation prize. Holiday could develop into one of the better defensive players in the league, but he needs to work on his jump shot if he wants to become a complete player. Like other guards in this draft, his defense is sometimes his best offense, and many of his buckets come via quick buckets in transition--something the Knicks love to do. If the Knicks miss out on Curry, they'll be please with Holiday, although they'll desperately yearn for Curry's shooting ability.

Our 2009 NBA Lottery Mock Draft continues over the weekend as we creep closer and closer to the real thing on Thursday. Check out the previous entries on the upper right hand side of this site.

Stephon Marbury's Future Team is the Pick

While Stephon Marbury might not be a Celtic yet after finally fleeing the Knicks, it's only a matter of time. 

So who better to turn to as we look for advice for tonight's Free NBA Picks?

The man who has his Starbury brand tattooed on one side of his head gave us a tip for tonight's game by inking the other side of his dome. 

Starbury's Celtics/Clippers UNDER 199

Our Free NBA Picks are 5-3 (63%!) in 2009, and we hope to build on that record out on the West Coast tonight. 

Good luck!

Knicks Over the Spurs... Seriously

It's not often that you see us betting on the Knicks or against the Spurs, but tonight we're doing both in the same game.

New York Knicks +4 1/2 over the San Antonio Spurs

Without Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, the Spurs will struggle as they have all season--even at home. They really shouldn't even be favored for tonight's contest.

The Spurs knocked Mike D'Antoni's Suns out of the playoffs last year, so there's a little bit of personal grudge factor going on. With D'Antoni getting the Knicks to play a fast-paced game, the Knicks look good early, thriving in the new coach's system.

Speaking of systems, our Free NBA Picks aren't off to the best start after a great year last year, but that should change tonight.

Good luck!

76ers Blow Out Knicks

Another Free NBA Pick, another blow out win for Stock Lemon. The 76ers jumped on the Knicks early and often in this one, doubling New York at halftime by a count of 72-36. The final score was 124-84, easily covering the mere -6 1/2 spread.

The blow out victory gives our Free NBA Picks an impressive record of 18-9, which is nearly 67%, including a perfect 2-0 following the All-Star Game.

Isiah Thomas looked ready to gauge his own eyes out, but he thought better of it when he realized that doing so would render him unable to visit Stock Lemon and get his free pick for the day.

Check back again tomorrow for yet another absolutely Free NBA Pick. It's all Isiah has to look forward to.

76ers Are the Pick Tonight

Our Free NBA Picks remain hot, hitting over 65%, and we have another play for you today.

Philadelphia 76ers -6 1/2 over the New York Knicks

As the trade winds blow, there's speculation that this could be Andre Miller's last game in Philly. Either way, we expect him and his current squad to drive all over Jamal Crawford and the Knicks.

Good luck!