NBA FINALS – Orlando vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Consider the enormity of the feat facing the Orlando Magic only a few weeks ago. Fresh off their victory over the 76ers, they knew they now had to draw the equivalent of an inside straight to win their first NBA title. Up next were the defending champion Boston Celtics, followed by a rested and ready Cleveland and finally the Lakers.The three upcoming opponents had won 62, 66 and 65 games, respectively, in the regular season. No team has ever faced a more-difficult stretch on the way to the championship.
That Orlando has removed 2/3 of the obstacles has to impress even the super-cool Lakers, who are favored by 6 at home in Thursday’s opener of what should be an NBA Finals almost as fun as last year’s Celtics-Lakers series.
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With the thug Nuggets out of the way, the NBA can breathe a little easier. David Stern would endure a month of Sunday dinners in prison with Tim Donaghy to see LeBron James and the Cavs against the Lakers in Finals, but with each win Orlando has been growing on the public, and the Magic have their own superstar in Dwight Howard.
Over the next two weeks Howard should make life a living hell for happy-go-lucky Laker center Andrew Bynum, whose absence from the lineup due to injury a year ago was given as the No. 1 reason for Los Angeles’s 6-game beatdown by the Celtics in the Finals. Bynum is recovered from yet another injury this year and gives the Lakers another big to battle Howard on the block, but Bynum was nearly invisible in the Western finals against Denver and is averaging only 6 points and 4 rebounds in the playoffs.
The Magic beat the Lakers twice during the regular season, including an impressive 109-103 number in Los Angeles in which Howard basically did what he wanted against Bynum (Howard outrebounded Bynum, 20-4 and outscored him, 25-14). If the Lakers don’t want Howard to break the Staples Center scoring record, they will have to bring double-team pressure, which clears space for the Magic’s 3-point arsenal.
The Lakers have their share of weapons, and Bryant (29 ppg in the playoffs) and Pau Gasol (18 a game, and 11 rebounds) can make Magic coach Stan Van Gundy look more miserable than he already does.
Head to head (Orlando 2-0):
Orlando 109, (at) Los Angeles 103
(at) Orlando 106, Los Angeles 103
NBA Finals Schedule:
Game 1: Thursday, June 4 at Los Angeles, 9 p.m. ABC
Game 2: Sunday, June 7 at Los Angeles, 8 p.m. ABC
Game 3: Tuesday, June 9 at Orlando, 9 p.m. ABC
Game 4: Thursday, June 11 at Orlando, 9 p.m. ABC
Game 5: Sunday, June 14 at Orlando, 8 p.m. ABC, if necessary
Game 6: Tuesday, June 16 at Los Angeles, 9 p.m. ABC, in necessary
Game 7: Thursday, June 18 at Los Angeles, 9 p.m. ABC, if necessary
NBA Finals Betting Trends: Orlando’s puzzling late-season fizzle in which the Magic lost consecutive games to the Knicks, Nets and Bucks is long forgotten. The Magic won a Game 7 on the road in Boston, ruthlessly took home court away from the Cavs, who were thought to be invincible in Cleveland, and are playing as well as the Lakers are right now. Los Angeles is gunning for its 15th NBA title, and while Bryant has 3 rings, each time came with Shaquille O’Neal in the middle winning the MVP award, and that made Kobe blind with jealousy. He forced O’Neal’s ouster, and now wants his first title being The Man.
How Orlando wins: The Magic duplicate the blueprint used during their two regular-season matchups – both victories: Pound the ball low to Howard. If the double-teams come, the ball swings out and around to the open man (Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu, Rafer Alston) for an open 3. The Lakers eventually get tired of closing, and 3-pointers rain down. If they don’t double, Howard abuses Bynum and/or Gasol.
How Los Angeles wins: The Lakers suck it up on defense and swarm Howard, forcing him to make quicker decisions than he had to make against the weaker Cleveland front line. Bryant dominates offensively in four or five games, slashing to the hoop and getting Howard in foul trouble. Laker teammates Gasol, Bynum and Lamar Odom play with more consistency on the defensive end, using their quickness to force Orlando into tougher shots. If Orlando’s 3-point shooting percentage drops into the low 30s, LA will be able to use its size edge to greater advantage.
Magic vs. Lakers NBA Finals Betting Prediction: An Orlando victory would hardly be comparable to Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness. The Magic ran hot and cold during the regular season, and when they were hot (as they are now), they were a swarm of locusts. In each of its series (Philly, Boston and Cleveland) the Magic won a game on the road that no one said they could, so grabbing one of the first two in Los Angeles wouldn’t be a stunner. Orlando also gained valuable experience in the Cleveland series learning how to deal with a dominating offensive player.
ORLANDO IN 7.
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Lawrence Paul is a regular contributor to the Cappers Picks Blog, and is a free-lance gambling and travel writer from Massachusetts.
One reply on “2009 NBA Finals Betting: Magic vs. Lakers Predictions”
If Orlando can grab game one in this series they have a chance. They cannot afford to play from behind against this Laker team. They need to keep one step ahead of LA to continue their “Magical” run to a championship.