The NBA brass wanted the dream matchup Kobe vs. Lebron but Orlando would have no part of it upsetting Cleveland in the Eastern Conference Championship. The Lakers will have the home court advantage but Orlando has overcome the advantage in the last two series. In the regular season Orlando swept the LA Lakers and also covered the spread in both games.
Got time to bet on the NBA Finals?
The NBA Finals begin this Thursday, June 4th in Los Angeles. Below is a look at some key numbers in the matchup between the Lakers and Magic.
16.7
This was the regular season scoring average for Orlando point guard Jameer Nelson who averaged 16.7 points in the 42 games he played in before injuring his shoulder against Dallas on February 2nd. Nelson was ruled out for the rest of the season after having surgery on February 19th, however the Magic’s extended playoff run has given him extra recovery time and the team might now activate him for the NBA Finals.
This series is a very interesting match-up between two teams that have brought questionable efforts at times in the NBA playoffs. They played each other twice this season, once in December and once in January.
Orlando won both games, one at Los Angeles, and one at home. However, Jameer Nelson was a very key contributor in both games, so his absence could hurt the Magic’s chances.
The lines are up for every game in the NBA Finals. Want to bet Game 3 in Orlando? The Magic are 3-point favorites, and if there is a Game 7 back in LA, the Lakers are 6-point favorites.
SPORTSBETTING.com has all the lines up with their “Prospective Bets”, which have been running all NBA playoffs.
And while the Finals matchup won’t feature a Kobe vs. King James battle, it is still an intriguing series.
Cleveland.com said it best: “It’s time to put the puppets away. There will be no LeBron James-Kobe Bryant NBA Finals.” It looked like a shoo-in for the top two seeds to meet, setting up a Kobe/LeBron Finals.
But once the Eastern Conference Finals began, you could see the Magic were a terrific team that matched up very well with the Cavs.
The French Open odds took Rafael Nadal away from us and we all know what happened to LeBron, but never fear – Tiger Woods is back in golf betting. He’s not just back – he’s ready to win. Let’s preview the more intriguing sportsbook options for this week’s Memorial odds.
Tiger Woods
Golf odds: +275
Event: 3rd Leg Of The 2009 Triple Crown – The 2009 Belmont Stakes
Date: Saturday June 6th, 2009
Location: Belmont Park in Elmont, NY
Post Time: 1PM (EST)
The Belmont Stakes will be run this Saturday June 6th at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. This race is the third jewel of the Triple Crown and the longest of all three. We have already seen a 50-1 shot, Mine That Bird win the Kentucky Derby and had a philly, Rachael Alexandra run away from all the colts in the Preakness so you have to wonder what surprises are in store for us in the Belmont. Here is a preview of the top contenders for Saturday’s race along with their current odds from Bodog.com.
Would it be that shocking in the Belmont Stakes odds to see a long shot like Miner’s Escape leading the pack partway through race? After all, the Florida Marlins started the season 11-1, Rafael Nadal lost on clay and the Cleveland Cavaliers failed to reach the NBA Finals.
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.
There have been just 44 complete games tossed through the first two months of the season.
They have occurred in less than six (5.8) percent of this year’s games.
In contrast, there have been 209 blown saves-about 28 percent of games–already this year.
Marc Lawrence • PLAYBOOK.com
When you walk in the shadows of the most well known basketball conference in the nation, it’s difficult creating your own identity.
Give ACC football its props. They are branding an image that is leaving other football conferences green-eyed.
MLB odds followers knew the Dodgers had a walk in the NL West this season, but weren’t the Cubs supposed to cruise as well? They haven’t held up their end of the bargain, as the NL Central has been very competitive. A series win against the first-overall Dodgers would go a long way for them.
Race: Autism 400 presented by Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips & Cheese – Dover International Speedway
Date: Sunday, May 31, 2009
Time: 2:16 PM EST (scheduled green flag)
TV: 1:30 PM EST on FOX
Gamble At Our Best NASCAR Sportsbooks Today!
Preview: Dover is a one-mile racetrack known for two things – its concrete racing surface and its very difficult pit road. Off-season remodeling is supposed to eliminate some of the pit road problems that have plagued even the best drivers in the past, but the surface is still concrete – something that drivers tend to either like a lot or not at all.
In Saturday’s boxing betting lines, Nikolay Valuev gets his rematch against Ruslan Chagaev. Brock Lesnar gets another shot at Frank Mir in UFC 100 come July. Now, the Pittsburgh Penguins get a chance for revenge against the Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Final odds.
By Tony George
The NFL continues to show its 2 emotions, greed and more greed once again. While the NFL frowns upon any point spread or gambling related activities, they once again show their hunger for dollars by being total hypocrites. It has long been stated by myself that that sports gambling is the 5000 pound elephant invited to the annual NFL Christmas party every year, but no one talks to him or buys him a cocktail. Sports gamblers have driven TV ratings and Direct TV sales since day one, and the NFL knows it and rakes in the cash while turning a cold shoulder to the hint of gambling on sports.
NBA odds are turning on their head faster than we can say “Rashard Lewis for three.” Rapidly, the dream Lakers/Cavaliers final is becoming a mirage. Can the big guns fight back tonight and tomorrow night in basketball betting?
Lakers vs Nuggets odds: Game 5 tonight at 9:05 p.m. ET
NBA odds: Lakers -5 ½
