2010 NBA Playoff Picks – Celtics vs. Lakers

NBA Betting – Series Picks – NBA FINALS – Celtics vs Lakers

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Boston vs. L.A. Series Betting Odds:
3301 CELTICS SERIES +165
3302 LAKERS SERIES -195

Series Outcome Odds:
45200 BOSTON CELTICS WIN 4-0 +2000
45201 BOSTON CELTICS WIN 4-1 +800
45202 BOSTON CELTICS WIN 4-2 +650
45203 BOSTON CELTICS WIN 4-3 +700
45204 LA LAKERS WIN 4-0 +820
45205 LA LAKERS WIN 4-1 +450
45206 LA LAKERS WIN 4-2 +275
45207 LA LAKERS WIN 4-3 +255

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Celtics vs. Lakers Playoff Schedule – NBA Finals

Game 1 – Thursday, June 3 at Los Angeles 9:00 EST
Game 2 – Sunday, June 6 at Los Angeles 9:00 EST
Game 3 – Tuesday, June 8 at Boston 9:00 EST
Game 4 – Thursday, June 10 at Boston 9:00 EST
Game 5 – Sunday, June 13 at Boston 9:00 EST
Game 6 – Tuesday, June 15 at Los Angeles 9:00 EST
Game 7 – Thursday, June 17 at Los Angeles 9:00 EST

If the Celtics manage to get past the Lakers in the next weeks and win their 18th NBA championship, it may be difficult for any team in the league to sell season tickets for the 2010-11 season. The Celtics have hardly hidden the fact that they rested key players for parts of the second half of this season in order to be fresh and healthy for the playoffs.

Home-court advantage be damned. Boston won only half its final 54 games and limped home fourth in the Eastern Conference with only 50 wins.

“It was no guarantee that we would do well in the playoffs,” explained Boston coach Doc Rivers. “But I knew that if we weren’t healthy going in, we had absolutely no chance.”

So with the regular season relegated to a glorified exhibition season, the Celts basically rotated rest periods for Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo. It produced ugly losses, including defeats at home to the likes of Washington and New Jersey, but when the playoffs started the Celts were on their game. Miami (5 games), Cleveland (6) and Orlando (6) fell quickly.

Like Boston, Los Angeles took some hits late in the season. Derek Fisher was the only Laker starter to play in all 82 games, and Kobe Bryant sat out 9.

And so now the Celtics and Lakers are playing basketball again in June in a rivalry that seems to renew itself every generation.

The media love matchups, and while it’s fun to look at how Player X stacks up against Opponent Y, matchups don’t mean much here. If they did, the Lakers would be getting ready to kick the snot out of the testosterone-depleted Orlando Magic for the second straight season rather than priming for a rematch of the 2008 NBA Finals.

For the fourth straight time in the post-season the Celtics will not have the best player on the court. Kobe Bryant is clearly the lead Huskie remaining the playoffs, and many feel he has vaulted past LeBron James as the best in the league.

Comparisons to Michael Jordan will start to grow louder in the Lakers can gain revenge on the Celts for the hammering Boston administered to LA two years ago.

Boston has no one capable of containing Bryant – no one does – but with Boston it’s never about individual matchups. K.C. Jones was not as good as Jerry West, Dave Cowens wasn’t as good as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and an aging Ray Allen will not keep Bryant under 20 points.

Boston will likely employ the same strategy that was used to great success against Bryant in 2008 and against James in the 2008 and 2010 playoffs – pinch him with two defenders when he puts the ball on the floor inside the 3-point line, and rely on the front line to rotate properly and be in position to close on other 3-point shooters when the ball rotates.

It’s a strategy that will get Boston defensive mastermind Tom Thibodeau a job as a head coach next season.

Beyond that, there are some fun subplots:

• ***When will the Lakers start baiting Boston’s Kendrick Perkins into what they hope will be a technical foul and resulting league-mandated one-game suspension? LA coach Phil Jackson says the Lakers won’t do it, but that’s hogwash.
• ***Is Pau Gasol any better than he was two years ago, when he basically wet his pants under Boston’s withering defensive pressure? Andrew Bynum missed that 2008 series and is at less than 100 percent with a bum knee this year, but he’ll take some of the rebounding pressure off Gasol.
• ***How will the Lakers defend Rajon Rondo? Boston’s unique point guard can’t shoot worth a lick, but his combination of acceleration to the rim, amazing rebounding ability and defensive presence make him an X Factor that LA has not yet had to deal with. If Fisher guards him, Rondo could go off for 30. If Bryant guards him, it diminishes KB offensively.
• ***How much of a factor will the referees be?
• ***Is this the last big Celtics-Lakers battle for a while? Boston knows it has to rebuild soon, and Allen is a free agent after this year. Pierce has one year left on his contract, Garnett two. The Lakers have the core of the team back, but several reserves could be out the door.

Games 1 and 2 are in Los Angeles before the series moves to Boston for Games 3, 4 and 5.

Suns vs. Lakers Prediction:

Tough to call. Is there anyone who does not think this will go at least 6?

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Lawrence Paul is a regular contributor to the Cappers Picks Blog, and is a free-lance gambling and travel expert from Massachusetts.