posted May 14, 2008 at 12:40 in NBA Free Picks

The Los Angeles Lakers were undefeated in the NBA online betting Playoffs, Kobe Bryant had just won the league MVP, and there was no reason for anybody to believe that the Lakers would not steam-roll through the Utah Jazz to face the New Orleans Hornets in the Western Conference Championship.

You see, the New Orleans Hornets were steam-rolling through the defending NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs, beating them senseless in two games in New Orleans. A Lakers vs. Hornets Western Conference Finals was inevitable with the winner and runner-up for the MVP this season, which would be Chris Paul from New Orleans, battling it out in a classic up and down game. Byron Scott, former Laker great, coaching the Hornets, Kobe and Phil Jackson with the Lakers…it was inevitable, right?

Wrong. After the last two games in both sports betting series, the Hornets versus the Spurs and the Lakers versus the Jazz, BetUS online sportsbook NBA online betting fans will have to take another look at all four teams.

The Jazz tied their series with the Los Angeles Lakers by winning a spirited overtime battle in Salt Lake City. Kobe Bryant had back issues in that game. Will Kobe’s back hurt him the rest of the way in this series?

The San Antonio Spurs dominated the Hornets in two straight games in San Antonio to tie their series versus New Orleans. The Hornets have come back with a thrashing of their own, but it is far from over in the 3-2 sports betting series.

Let’s take a look at both questions from a BetUS online sportsbook betting point-of-view.

Here are the online wagering odds on each respective team to win the Western Conference Championship.

1. Los Angeles Lakers - - 1 to 2

2. New Orleans Hornets - - 4 to 1

3. San Antonio Spurs - - 3 to 1

4. Utah Jazz - - 9 to 1

With Kobe’s back the way it is, the Jazz have a legitimate shot to beat the Lakers in this series. We need to remember, as NBA betting aficionados, that the Lakers are only as good as Kobe is. Unfortunately, this is Kobe’s league - - the NBA that is - - which means if he doesn’t find a way to get that back working again, the Lakers are done. 1 to 2 on a team that doesn’t have the best player in the planet healthy are not good odds.

The team with the best odds and best chance above are actually the Utah Jazz at BetUS online odds of 9 to 1. If they can scrape by the Lakers, with help from Kobe’s ailing back, then the Jazz have a legitimate shot to beat either the Spurs or the Hornets. The Jazz proved in game three versus the Lakers that they can play either a very fast, up and down game or a slow-down take the shots as they come battle against the San Antonio Spurs.

Utah point-guard Derron Williams will probably be the difference in either series.

I also like the betting odds on the New Orleans Hornets at 4 to 1. As good as the Spurs have looked in the last two games of their online betting series; I can’t get past the fact that the Hornets dominated the Spurs in 2 of their 4 regular season games this year. The Hornets are a very good team. With Byron Scott guiding them, I see the Hornets making enough adjustments to win their series versus the San Antonio Spurs.

That means that the Hornets need only win four games in the next series to win the Western Conference Championship. At odds of 4 to 1, I have to take a stab on this very talented, ultra-tough team.

That means, of course, that I’m chilly on the San Antonio Spurs. They were impressive in their last two games against the Hornets, but the Spurs could start playing badly again at the drop of a hat. That’s been their modus operandi all season. I don’t see why that would change now. The odds of 3 to 1 on this aging team to win the Western Conference Championship are just too low for me.

No matter who you like to win the Western Conference Championship, do yourself a favor by logging onto the BetUS online sportsbook and putting some money on a team at nice odds.

You’ll find the latest NBA playoff odds and lines in the best online sportsbook, BetUS.com. Betting on NBA player and game props makes every aspect of the game exciting. Join BetUS.com today to bet on the NBA and make online sports betting work for you!