Handicapping Title Odds for Stars Pursuing First NBA Championship

It may have taken a Dwight Howard meltdown and Jeremy Lin coronation to get here, but the regular season has finally dissolved, giving us the grandeur that is the NBA Playoffs. 

I am geeked, giddy and beyond ecstatic. 

It's time for some of the best in basketball to again take their marks for a marathon that is nearly as long-winded as that strike-shortened thing we just witnessed. 

The NBA is a star-driven league, so it makes sense to sit down the day before the postseason begins and map out the path for the brightest of those stars. 

We'll give you the odds for those teams that house All Stars who have no rings on their fingers. Each team has its own merits, including bench depth, shooting, defense and other factors. 

Here, though, we handicap their odds by using the lone superstar on their team that is the most hungry for bling. 

Team Odds are via Bovada.lv. 

Let's begin to power rank the teams with the competitive advantage based solely on that one stud on the floor. 

Follow @gabezal

8. Dwight Howard

Title odds according to Bovada.lv: 100/1

Dwight Howard isn't going to play in the postseason, proving a major point of this list—that one player can make or break a series. 

The Magic hold the series advantage over the Pacers but have no shot without the best defender in the league and the Magic's best player on the floor. 

7. Utah Jazz

Title odds according to Bovada.lv: 150/1

Ok, we break our own rule right off the bat, but that's why it's a rule and not a law. 

The Jazz don't have one superstar but rather a group of young players that ranks high if the rubric includes youth, promise and other such intangibles. 

Still, this is a league based on superstars and guys you recognize as they adorn your buddy's wall as Fatheads. 

There's a reason it's the big three, people—and not the merely solid and may be one day great featuring Paul Millsap, Al Jefferson and Devin Harris. 

6. Joe Johnson

Title odds according to Bovada.lv: 60/1

You know Joe Johnson, the Atlanta shooting guard that remains consistently underrated and under the radar for most fans. 

Well, Johnson can go off, as he did for 28 points earlier this week on the Clippers or for 30 points recently on the Celtics, both wins. 

The problem is that he can vanish in a flash as well. 

Consistency isn't the strongest suit for Johnson, and he will need it against the Celtics to open the playoffs. 

5. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin

Title odds according to Bovada.lv: 28/1

Dunks don't win championships. Trust me, I checked on Wikipedia and even went to something called a library to make sure of this. 

All friendly ribbing aside, this dynamic duo is fully capable of pummeling a team for a full game—but I am not convinced that they can do it for seven.

Their first test is the perfect opportunity to prove my point. 

The Grizzlies are big and don't mind getting physical. Their strong front line should neutralize most of Griffin's high-flying antics. 

Chris Paul is dangerous and will make this a series, but you can only toss so many lobs in the postseason. 

4. Carmelo Anthony

Title odds according to Bovada.lv: 30/1

Yes, Amare Stoudemire is on the squad, and yes, he is also looking for his first ring. 

However, this team begins and ends with Carmelo Anthony. That is how they are at their best, and Anthony is back to his old self with Mike Woodson at the helm. 

Recently it's been the Melo show at MSG, and guess what? It's worked. Hell, it's worked so well that I give the Knicks a very real shot of upsetting the Heat in the first round. 

New York is healthier and far more productive on both ends of the court. They also have a healthy superstar to close out playoff grinders. Don't count them out.

3. Derrick Rose

Title odds according to Bovada.lv: 7/2

If there was an award for best cheerleader, Derrick Rose would still be on the outside looking in. The man with one expression has dealt with so many injuries that it's remarkable the Bulls are still afloat. 

Not only that, they were quite dominant to close out the season. That should put to rest the argument that they need Rose to succeed.  Right?

Of course not.

Rose may have faltered at the very end of last season's playoffs, but he was nothing short of amazing prior to that. 

His experience in the second season will pay off big time—just not enough for the Bulls to win it all. 

2. LeBron James

Title odds according to Bovada.lv: 21/10

Here goes.

Let the snarky comments begin, haters. I'll say it: I love me some LeBron James, from the top of his balding head to the bottoms of his sweet sneakers. 

The man is the best in the game, but he has a knack for checking out at the wrong time. You know, like in important series and late in games.

I am willing to wager that he is ready to turn the tables on that perception, but I can't guarantee that. We've all seen King James defer to his vassals in crunch time.

1. Kevin Durant

Title odds according to Bovada.lv: 15/4

Booyah, baby. 

I am not a Oklahoma City Thunder fan. Hell, I have been to OKC once and only managed to overhear discussions on the Sooners. 

However, I am in Kevin Durant's camp when it comes to being a deadly scorer and a player that just wants to win. 

There is no hype or hoopla, and you won't even find an entourage. The impetus is on winning and doing it with sheer will. 

It also helps that he is one of the best players in the league. Kevin Durant will have at least one title before his career is over, and I am willing to guarantee that. 

Follow @gabezal