Betting on MLB baseball is hot right now as the season is really starting to get underway, but you can’t forget about the NBA playoffs, which kicks off on Saturday with four games, and here is who we think will end up clashing in the Finals.

Eastern Conference

Chicago keeps proving us wrong, and if you would have said that they would end up with 62 wins before the regular season, you have gotten some weird looks. It’s either going to be the Bulls or Miami, as Boston is looking old and while they won’t go without a fight, the Celtics won’t make it back to the Finals. Orlando has Dwight Howard, but if he goes out with foul trouble, the Magic are going to have problems. The x-factor is New York, but they’re too bad defensively. We’re sticking with Chicago.

Western Conference

Oklahoma City is our pick to emerge out of the wild West, because we’re not completely sure how healthy Andrew Bynum’s knee is, and he makes the Lakers a completely different team. No one trusts Dallas or Denver, and even though they had a great regular season, we think San Antonio will run out of gas. They leaves the Thunder, who have a great one-two punch in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, and Kendrick Perkins gives them toughness.

Finals

We’re going with the Bulls to complete their dream-like season with a title in what should be an exciting series. It’s just so tough to bet against Derrick Rose after everything he has done, and the Bulls are a better defensive team than the Thunder, who will eke out a couple wins. Still, we have to lay a sports bet on Chicago for the Finals.

Even those who bet on college basketball will check out Friday’s NBA matchups before a busy Saturday in college hoops, and here are a trio of games to check out as you head to your sportsbook.

Hornets Magic Betting (Friday, 7:00 PM ET)

The Magic will likely be the home favorites in this contest, but the Hornets may make it interesting as they’re 2-3 SU and 3-2 ATS in their last five in Orlando. The Hornets are a respectable 13-12-2 ATS on the road this season, while the Magic have an almost identical 12-13-1 ATS at home.

Lakers Knicks Betting (Friday, 8:00 PM ET)

The Lakers should be the favorites on the road in the marquee matchup on Friday night, and they’re 4-1 SU and 3-2 ATS in their last five visits to Madison Square Garden. The Lakers are 13-12 ATS away from the Staples Center, while the Knicks are 13-11-1 ATS at home, but they may have a bit of an edge as the Lakers will be in Boston on Thursday night. It won’t be a big edge, though; the Lakers are 8-1 SU in the second half of back-to-back games this season.

Suns Jazz Betting (Friday, 10:30 PM ET)

The Jazz should be favored at home in the Friday nightcap, but after the news that Jerry Sloan has resigned on Thursday may throw this line into disarray. The Jazz are 3-2 SU and 2-3 ATS in their last five at home against the Suns, while posting a 12-16 ATS mark at EnergySolutions Arena. The Suns are 11-14 ATS away from home, but they have a great chance to pull off a sports betting win in Utah.

When it comes to NBA scores betting on Thursday night, look no further than one of the hottest teams in the association when placing your money, as the Orlando Magic look to extend their win streak at home against the New York Knicks. While the Knicks were considered a legitimate dark horse in the conference a couple of weeks ago, they have fallen off over the past 14 days and have yet to beat any of the top dogs in the conference. Meanwhile, after experiencing a big of a transition period to adjust after a couple of blockbuster deals, the Magic are hitting their stride.

Orlando has won four straight to move back in to an online sports betting tie with the Atlanta Hawks for second spot in the Southeast division, and have improved with every game since the acquisitions of Gilbert Arenas, Jason Richardson, and Hedo Turkoglu. They have the depth and scoring touch from beyond the arc to compliment the interior presence of All Star center Dwight Howard, and that will only continue to get stronger as they gain experience together. The Knicks are an impressive 10-6 on the road this year, but are a combined 0-5 against the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, and Atlanta Hawks, and until they step up and take down one of the big dogs in the conference they cannot be considered anything more than a second-tier team. Take the Magic over the Knicks.

Now that the All-Star game has come and gone, here we go with NBA betting!

Yes, the lines have been posted for championship odds, and although they’re a little shaky-looking, it wouldn’t hurt to take a look at who the bookies are predicting for NBA glory. So here’s what we know so far: The teams with the best odds are the Lakers (+150) and the Celtics (+200), with many people already predicting a Lakers-Celtics showdown for the NBA championship odds. At this point in time, it wouldn’t be unfounded, given how both teams have performed in their respective divisions. The Lakers are riding high on the mad skills of Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, while the Celtics have been destroying their competition left and right. (Kevin Garnett, anyone?) Even if nobody can pronounce the word “Celtic” right. (KEL-tick, not CELL-tick. Geez.)

As far as underdogs are concerned, I wouldn’t put it past the Cavaliers (+370) to be serious contenders in the East. They’ve been playing solidly this season, especially due to the efforts of one LeBron “King” James. You just can’t disregard this guy when you’re looking through the NBA lines — something tells me he’s going to be a difference-maker. And, again, also really foxy:

Okay, so we’ve got the Daytona 500 line AND March Madness odds to consider at the moment, but have you considered the second of this Sunday’s big sports fun: the NBA All-Star Game! Yes indeed, the NBA odds shouldn’t be overlooked this weekend, and my friend Roy over at Picks ‘N Roll has a good hoops betting preview for you. Check it.

As for my choices, maybe it’s the eternal teenager in me, but the events I’m most looking forward to seeing are the H-O-R-S-E contest and the dunk contest. I mean, how cool is it to see big basketball superstars indulging in games that millions of kids play on the neighbourhood tarmac every day? That’s what I love the best about all-star games, no matter what sport — that the athletes can put aside salary concerns and petty rivalries and just have fun for fun’s sake.

Speaking of fun, will anybody be able to beat Dwight Howard’s Superman moves in the dunk contest this year? My money’s on nobody, people. Dwight’s got this one in the bag, and your sportsbook can take that one to the bank.

Others to keep your eye on this Sunday include Kevin Durant, Tony Parker and of course, the almighty King LeBron James. Watch for this hoops stud to keep on cementing his legacy as the NBA’s Next Big Thing.

I love a man in a blazer.