Wednesday MAY 26, 2010 – Boston Celtics vs Orlando Magic
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Team records:
Boston: 50-32 SU, 33-48-1 ATS
Orlando: 59-23 SU, 45-33-4 ATS
In Boston the Bruins’ collapse in the NHL playoffs is still fresh in the minds of even casual fans of the Celtics.
Add in another loss to the Magic, in Game 5 Wednesday night in Orlando, the C-word (choke) will start to be heard on sports radio talk shows.
Matchup: CELTICS vs. MAGIC
Time: Wednesday 8:30 ET
Venue: Amway Arena, Orlando
Spread: Magic -4
Over/Under: 186.5
The chances of Boston blowing the series are extremely unlikely, if not infinitesimal, but it would behoove the Celtics to get this one.
The benefit is obvious – more than a full week of rest before having to fly across the country and face either Phoenix or Los Angeles in the NBA Finals.
Celtics fans are still scratching their heads over the final play of regulation in Game 4 in Boston. In a tie game with 14 seconds left Paul Pierce was allowed to dribble the clock down to 4 seconds, then lost his dribble – and the ball – in a scramble as time expired. On a team with two other options (Ray Allen, who has shot lights out, and emerging superstar Rajon Rondo, who can penetrate better than anyone in the league), Pierce got the ball.
Why? 
Several factors were in play:
- ***Perhaps as payback to Pierce remaining loyal to the team through a lot of bad seasons, he always gets the ball in those situations at the end of periods.
- ***But Pierce cannot create his shot the way he once was able to do.
- ***The Orlando defense knew what was coming and played it accordingly, refusing to allow Pierce to penetrate.
- ***Was Pierce jealous when fans chanted “MVP” when Rondo was at the foul line in the second half?
- ***Is Doc Rivers afraid that Pierce will pout if he calls a play and Pierce doesn’t get to take the last shot?
Whether Pierce has earned the right to iso and take the final shots can be debated, but what is beyond debate is that the Celtics would be prudent to take care of business in Game 5.
If they don’t, comparisons to the Bruins will be careening off the walls at TD Garden before and during Game 6.
Celtics vs. Magic Game 5 Free NBA Prediction
We got the OVER in Game 4 only with a little luck (overtime), and the total has dropped another point, to 186.5.
The Celtics have plenty of motivation for this one and play well on the road, so this would be an excellent time to roll the dice and take Boston on a money line play of +155.
Two of the three officials (Tom Washington and Joe Crawford) are hospitable to visiting teams, and the Celtics are unlikely to play as poorly as they did in Game 4.
Would advise staying away from the total on this one – Rondo may have a bad ankle and Boston may have to play a halfcourt game.
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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.
