The NBA regular season is painfully long and often painfully boring. At last, however, it’s over. The playoffs are long, too, but there’s nothing painful about them. This is the time of year when professional basketball players actually remember that there is such a thing as defense while caring almost as much about Ws and Ls as dollar signs. With a host of salivating first-round matchups on the docket, the battle for the NBA Championship should be fast and furious right from the start.

(All odds provided by Sportsbook.ag).

NBA Championship

Miami Heat (-200) – The playoffs are set, and the first victim is Milwaukee. LeBron James and company are overwhelming favorites in their quest for a second straight title. And why not? They went 66-16 during the regular season, and once again showed that they can flip a switch whenever necessary…like, you know, in the playoffs.

Oklahoma City Thunder (+500) – The 2012 runner-ups would be a big underdog in a rematch with Miami, just as they were last season, but they are once again a solid favorite in the west. OKC snagged the No. 1 seed out from under San Antonio and will face Houston in the first round.

San Antonio Spurs (+1200) – These aren’t your older brother’s Spurs and Lakers, two franchises now mired in old age and bugged by physical problems. Kobe Bryant obviously won’t be partaking in this one, but it doesn’t necessarily mean San Antonio is out of the woods. With Tony Parker hobbled, this first-round series could be a blockbuster even though on paper it’s No. 2 vs. No. 7.

New York Knicks (+1500) – To the delight of the New York faithful, New York coasted to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and therefore cannot face the Heat until the conference finals. Up first for the Knickerbockers is an intriguing clash against rival Boston. Get your popcorn ready.

NFL Draft

Geno Smith (draft position “over/under” 6.5 overall) – There is no denying Smith’s talent, although there has been some controversy during debate over his mental makeup. The former West Virginia standout could go either No. 1, No. 2, or No. 4 overall, but he could slip past the over/under mark and land in Arizona at seventh.

Tavon Austin (over/under 13.5) – Smith’s favorite target at WVU has seen his stock soar throughout the offseason. Austin should be the first receiver off the board, but that may not come until St. Louis drafts at No. 16 overall.

Manti Te’o (over/under 26.5) – Te’o is one of the big wild cards in this month’s NFL Draft. He had a disastrous two-month stretch with a dreadful Championship Game performance, the girlfriend (or lack thereof) saga, and poor showing at the combine. A decent pro day, however, could have him going No. 25 to Minnesota.

Matt Barkley (over/under 32.5) – The question here is will Barkley go in the first round or won’t he. The problem for the former USC Trojan is that there are almost no teams to speak of in the second half of the first round that need quarterbacks. A trade may have to take place for the under to be in the money with this one. And that is by no means out of the question.

National League Pennant

Atlanta Braves (+350) – Thanks mostly to a 10-game winning streak, the Braves are still 12-2 despite losing to Kansas City on Wednesday. Justin Upton has dialed long distance eight times already this season.

Cincinnati Reds (+450) – After the Braves, it’s a logjam in the National League. The Reds have been inconsistent to start the season, losing five in a row at one point before a recent three-game sweep of Philadelphia. Cincy is -120 to win the NL Central, ahead of St. Louis at +125.

Los Angeles Dodgers (+450) – This is not exactly what the Dodgers had in mind when they went on their offseason spending spree. L.A. (an even 7-7) just lost two in a row to San Diego, against whom the Dodgers had a bench-clearing brawl last week that resulted in Zack Greinke breaking his collarbone.

San Francisco Giants (+450) – The defending World Series Champions got off to a 9-4 start and are still a solid 9-6 despite losing two straight to Milwaukee. Sergio Romo, who closed out last year’s Fall Classic, already has a ridiculous seven saves. Washington is also +450 to win the NL along with Cincinnati, L.A., and San Fran.

RBC Heritage


Brandt Snedeker (+1200) – When healthy this season, which hasn’t been always, Snedeker has been an absolute machine. Among his 2012 finishes are a third, a second, another second, a first, and a sixth last week at the Masters. Snedeker won this event in 2011 and finished T-17 last year.

Luke Donald (+1500) – Donald continues to be at the forefront of discussions involving the best player never to win a major, especially after Adam Scott’s triumph at the Masters. The Englishman fired a respectable total of 2-over 290 in Augusta and he finished a decent T-37 at the 2012 Heritage after recovering from a dreadful first-round 75. Donald lost to Snedeker in a playoff in 2011.

Jim Furyk (+1500) – Furyk won this tournament in 2010 and he finished T-8 last year. His recent form also bodes well for a strong finish in Hilton Head. Furyk came in third earlier this month in San Antonio and he contended at the Masters until a final-round 76.

Matt Kuchar (+1500) – Kuchar, the 2012 Players Champion and this season’s Match Play Champion, enjoyed a Top-10 showing at the Masters. He finished T-21 at the Heritage two years ago and played well at the event in 2012 before a disastrous final-round 77.

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