2010 NBA Finals – Boston Celtics vs Los Angeles Lakers
The 2010 NBA Finals get underway with a dream matchup between the two most storied franchises in the league. The Boston Celtics, winners of 17 prior World Titles represent the Eastern Conference. They take on last year’s World Champions; the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers have 16 titles to their credit.
With a different format than the earlier rounds of the playoffs, the first two games of this best-of –seven series will be played tonight and Sunday in Los Angeles. The series then shifts to Boston for games three, four, and five. If necessary the final two games will be back in LA with game six scheduled for Tuesday June 15th and game seven on Thursday June 17th.
Both teams come into this championship series playing their best ball of the season. Before the postseason began many people questioned the age and the health of the top players on both these teams as they seem to drag through the end of the regular season. After, for the most part, coasting through the rest of the competition in the earlier rounds of the playoffs, they are now pointed directly at one another in what should be another classic finals showdown.
From an odds standpoint, the Lakers are they early favorite to win it all and tie the Celtics by winning a 17th title. In game one, scheduled to tip off at 9:00 P.M. (ET) tonight, they are a 5 ½ point favorite with an over/under line of 192. For the series, the money line on LA is currently -180, while the line on Boston is +160.
The prop bets on this series also lean toward the Lakers winning this series in six games. The odds for a LA sweep are 19-2. A Boston sweep is currently at 22-1. If you think that the series is going to go the full seven games then you can get 3-1 odds that the Lakers win or 13-2 odds if you want to go with the Celtics.
If you want to bet this series wraps up at TD Garden in Boston, the money line is +160. If you think it ends at the Staples Center in LA, the money line is -200.
If you really do not care who wins but want to bet on how long this series will last, the following are the money lines for that wager: 4 games +650, 5 games +300, 6 games +180, 7 games +190. The money line for the over/under on the total length of the series is +160 under 5 ½ and -200 over 5 ½ games.
On paper these teams matchup very well, each having enough star power to field a very good All-Star team. Boston has proven that they deserve to be here after taking out the top two seeds in the East each in six games. The trio of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett has rolled back time a bit and are playing at the level that won them a World Title in 2008. Add in Rajon Rondo to the mix and they have the necessary tools to get the job done.
There is no shortage of talent on the Lakers starting with arguably the best player in the game; Kobe Bryant. Add in the likes of Pau Gasol, Ron Artest, Derek Fisher, and Lamar Odom along with a solid supporting cast and you have all the makings of a Hollywood blockbuster with this lineup.
The tipping point in this series comes down to which team can win on the road. If Boston can steal one of the first two, then having three straight at home could be all they need. If the Lakers sweep games one and two, they still control their own destiny knowing they have the final two back home. I expect a close hard fought series that does not get decided until the bitter end- Lakers in seven.
Game 1: Thursday, June 3 – Boston at LA Lakers at 9:00 PM on ABC
Game 2: Friday, June 4 – Boston at LA Lakers at 8:00 PM on ABC
Game 3: Sunday, June 6 – LA Lakers at Boston at 9:00 PM on ABC
Game 4: Thursday, June 10 – LA Lakers at Boston at 9:00 PM on ABC
Game 5*: Sunday, June 13 – LA Lakers at Boston at 8:00 PM on ABC
Game 6*: Tuesday, June 15 – Boston at LA Lakers at 9:00 PM on ABC
Game 7*: Thursday, June 17 – Boston at LA Lakers at 9:00 PM on ABC
Boston Celtics Betting Trends:
- Boston is 7-2 ATS in its last 9 games
- Boston is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boston’s last 7 games
- Boston is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Los Angeles Lakers Betting Trends:
- LA Lakers are 6-3 ATS in their last 9 games
- LA Lakers are 10-2 SU in their last 12 games
- The total has gone OVER in 10 of the LA Lakers last 14 games
- LA Lakers are 4-2 ATS in their last 6 games at home
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.