Category — Gaming

With the NBA playoffs tipping off Saturday, the Heat remain the favorites to capture the title. The Bulls are the No. 2 pick at 3-1 odds, while the Thunder come in at 4-1. The Thunder are tabbed as the favorites to claim the Western Conference title, meaning they will meet the Heat in the final.
Vegas Insider

The Clippers trail the Lakers by just 1 1/2 games for the No. 3 spot in the Western Conference as they try to win on the road tonight at OKC. Fat chance. They are an 8 1/2-point dog and we’re betting they lose by more than that. Anyway, the rest of the stories…
Thug? Oh no, not Blake: Since we brought up his dirty play a week or so ago, much talk has shifted to whether Blake Griffin is a villain or not. Chris Paul plays defense attorney.
NewsOK.com
Kobe to miss 3rd consecutive game: The Lakers, who are 9 1/2-point underdogs, will be without the NBA’s leading scorer when they face the hot Spurs tonight in San Antonio.
ESPN LA
Freedom of speech: Despite being 1 of the clueless folks in Major League Baseball, columnist Rob Neyer believes nitwit Marlins Manager Ozzie Guillen should not have been suspended for speaking his mind.
SB Nation
More Lamar Odom stink: Now if the producers of the Kardashians show wanted to hit the roof with the ratings, they would air an episode with Odom and his less than professional attitude in Dallas immediately. But of course it ain’t about him. It’s all about the fame whores. Mark Cuban, though, speaks his mind about how the Mavs tried to make it work with Odom, who couldn’t even make it to practice on time despite living across the street.
ESPN Dallas
Big man on campus: Folks are singing the praises of Arkansas AD Jeff Long for showing some balls and canning Bobby Petrino.
Sporting News
Fox, MLB object to Dodgers sale: It appears to be just a bump in the road.
USA Today
Typical Vegas visitor?: The snapshot here says he’s white (big surprise there), 49-years-old and from Southern California.
Las Vegas Sun

Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas rocked it at Rain Nightclub at the Palms Casino Resort in Vegas on Friday night. Also in the house: NASCAR drivers Danica Patrick and Cole Whitt for an autograph signing for about 250 fans at the resort.
Images courtesy of Joe Fury (Taboo) and Ed Graff (Patrick)

Kelis performed at Rain Nightclub at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas on Friday night. She surprised the crowd by performing her Grammy nominated hit “Milkshake.” After her performance, she hung out at a VIP table with friends and drank Kettle One.
Image courtesy of Joe Fury

When I grow up, I’m going to be a fame whore. Seriously, $600,000 to host a party?
If you’re bringing in 2012 in high fashion, here’s a list of some of the action.
Las Vegas Sun

It’s a Heat-Thunder NBA final waiting to happen. Can’t argue with that.
Fox Sports

John Legend is will kick off the New Year’s celebration at 10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31 at the Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. Tickets: $99 to $254. Info: 702.944.3200 or Palms.com.

Pius Heinz of Cologne became the 1st German to capture the prestigious World Series of Poker title in Las Vegas on Wednesday. Heinz’s 1st-place finish earned him more than $8.7 million.
The 22-year-old beat a field of 6,865 players from 85 different countries in ages ranging from 21 to 91. When play began Tuesday at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, Heinz held a significant lead in chips. The lead changed hands multiple times until Heinz sealed his victory about 12:15 a.m. today. Heinz’s ace of spades and king of clubs held up against the runner-up Martin Staszko’s 10 of clubs and 7 of clubs
“I think it’s going to be huge when I get home,” the champ said.
Staszko collected $5,433,086 for his 2nd-place finish. He also made history as the 1st player from the Czech Republic to make a final table. The 35-year-old poker pro resides in Trinec, near the border with Poland.
Both players outlasted Ben Lamb, a 26-year-old poker professional from Las Vegas and Tulsa, who finished 3rd. Lamb took home $4,021,138.
Image courtesy of Jonathan Boncek/2011 WSOP

Wet Republic at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino will host a kickoff party for the Izod IndyCar World Championships at 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13. Hip-hop artist Lupe Fiasco will perform at the party, entertaining all 34 Izod IndyCar Series drivers along with celebrities and fans.
The party follows the Izod IndyCar Series Parade Presented by Verizon, taking place on Las Vegas Boulevard beginning at 7 p.m.
Tickets to the race, which will be held on Sunday, Oct. 16 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, are available at Ticketmaster.com or through the race track’s box office at 800.644.4444.
Reserved seating is $44 for adults, $30 for children (12 and under) and $109 for a family 4-pak (two adults and two children). General admission adult tickets are available beginning at $29, while children under 12 are free with the purchase of an adult ticket.
IndyCar.com
Also: Celebrities from the worlds of sports and entertainment will gather at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino on Friday, Oct. 14 for the Sports Dream All-Star Celebrity Blackjack Tournament.
Tabú Ultra Lounge will host the stars for a meet-and-greet cocktail reception before the tournament and will serve as the “Losers’ Lounge” for celebrity players as they are knocked out of the event.
Among the stars scheduled to attend: Warren Moon; Michael Irvin; Marshall Faulk; Christopher McDonald; Ricardo Antonio Chavira; Benito Martinez; Danny Granger; Corey Maggette; Al Harrington; Tracy McGrady; Marcus Banks; Matt Barnes; Patrick Warburton; Jermaine O’Neal; Robert Horry; Derrick McKey; Marcellus Wiley; Warrick Dunn; and Javon Walker.

Mark Wahlberg and Micky Ward, whose character Wahlberg played in the movie “The Fighter,” held a Mayweather-Ortiz viewing party and “The Olympia” after party in a sweet little villa at the Palms Place Hotel and Spa in Las Vegas. Phil and George Maloof, shown above with the pair, also attended.
Brandy was in the house at Rain. So were Diddy, Dahntay Jones, Sebastian Telfair, Fabolous and Ray J.
And Maroon 5 performed a sold-out show at the resort’s Pearl Concert Theater on Saturday.
Other than that, it was pretty quiet.
Images courtesy of Denise Truscello for Wire Images and Joe Fury for 9 Group