NBA Playoffs: 5/12
Orlando +2 / Boston 8:05 ET 2 Units
Boston has been very good to us so far this playoff season as we're up 5.69 units overall in the first 2 rounds and we have a pending 2 unit series play on them against Orlando. However, we feel tonight's the time to get off the Celtics (temporarily as we still feel they can win in Orlando Thursday to force a game seven).
Although the Celtics won a huge game 4 Sunday to tie the series, they're a tired team. Their 7 game first round series with the Bulls is finally taking it's toll on the champs and tonight it'll show. Realize that in their game 4 buzzer beater win, Boston out shot Orlando 53% (38-72) to 40% (34-85), yet it took all they had to win. Like we said, they're a tired team and remember, not only did the Celtics go 7 with the Bulls, but they went to OT in 4 of those games (6 OT periods played altogether: 36:00 more... almost another whole game). So not only was it a physically tough series it was also mentally tough and game 4 Sunday started revealing signs of weariness with Boston.
Under 199 Houston / LA Lakers 10:35 ET 1.5 Units
This series' total opened up at 193 and went to 197 in the absence of Yao and after a great defensive effort Sunday from the Yao-less Rockets the number is up to 199... why?.... because Kobe is home and is going to light it up for the Staples Center faithful?.... No.... Good defense is good defense and Houston knows that's the only way they have a shot at advancing. Getting into a running game wit LA will not work and the Rockets know it. They're going to try and duplicate Sunday's performance as best they can on the road. Although technically Sunday's game only stayed under by 10 points, remember that LA was held to in quarters 1, 2 & 3 of 16, 20 & 18 points until "garbage" time when the Lakers scored 33 in the 4th quarter only because the Rockets smartly stopped wasting energy on defense as they had a 29 point lead.
-End bettingasabusiness.com