NBA Betting Odds: Magic Favored Tonight, But Not By Much

The Orlando Magic were expected to win game three of the NBA Finals. That is why they were favored by six points against a team that had already beaten them twice in the Los Angeles Lakers. Game four, however, becomes a much tougher scenario to predict for odds makers.

The Magic have played nearly flawlessly at home this postseason, but the Lakers have not lost back to back games in their current playoff run. The betting line the sports books have settled on for tonight's game four is Orlando -2.

Los Angeles looked ready to complete a four game sweep of the Magic before game three. After the game, some experts were wondering what would have happened if Courtney Lee's layup went in the basket in game two. Orlando could be up in the series 2-1.

That is how quickly the pendulum swings in NBA basketball series'. Kobe Bryant is considered to be the best closer in the game, so when he fails to close, as he did in game three, the skeptics quickly take out their paper and pens and begin to pounce.

The players, however, are on a different level. Not many of the Magic players expect Bryant to repeat his fourth quarter performance from game three. That means that somehow the Magic have to find a way to play better than they did in that game, when they broke and NBA Finals record for shooting percentage in a game.

Los Angeles, on the other hand, recognizes that if they are going to win a title, they cannot simply hand the ball to Bryant and get out of the way. The wide open looks that Derek Fisher and Trevor Ariza had because of the Bryant double teaming, will have to start being knocked down.

Lamar Odom also again showed his importance to the Lakers when he disappeared in game three. That cannot happen again if the Lakers want to avoid blowing a second opportunity tonight to put a stranglehold on this series and this championship.

June 11, 2009
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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