| NBA Picks: Lakers vs Magic Game 3 2009 NBA Finals Odds |
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| Written by Scott Burgess | |||||||
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Tuesday, 09 June 2009
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 NBA Picks Lakers vs Magic Game 3 NBA Finals Odds: The LA Lakers are up 2-0 over the Orlando Magic in the NBA Finals, but they know it could’ve been tied a one apiece after a botched layup by Magic rookie Courtney Lee in the last second failed to fall. The Magic host the Lakers for Game 3 tonight, Tuesday June 9, where the Magic won all home games over the Cavaliers. NBA oddsmakers at Sportsbook.com have the Magic as -4 point home favs over the Lakers with the over/under listed at 198 points. Be sure to get your NBA Picks: Lakers vs Magic Game 3 NBA Finals Odds in now at Sportsbook.com The Lakers walked off home court with a 101-96 win in overtime as they head to Orlando for Game 3. Kobe Bryant had a poor shooting night making 10 of 22 from the field to finish with 29pts, while Pau Gasol added 24pts 10 rebounds. Lamar Odom was great off the bench with 19pts after making 8 of 9 from the field with 8 rebounds. The Lakers are 4-4 on the road in the playoffs where they’ve averaged 99 ppg and given up an average 97.3 ppg. The Lakers must be at their best tonight. For all the bravado, the Lakers can be careless, a team with holes and an inability to finish off an opponent as a champion must. They let Houston extend a series despite the absence of Yao Ming. Denver outmuscled and outhustled a Lakers team that seemed to lose its enthusiasm until Game 6 of the conference finals. Los Angeles believes those days are over. "We're playing tougher," forward Pau Gasol said. "We understand what it takes to go get the championship." Only three teams have won a title after losing the first two games in the finals, most recently Miami over Dallas in 2006. The Magic’ Courtney Lee missed a wide-open, alley-oop layup that would have won Game 2 at the fourth-quarter buzzer Sunday night. It was another chapter in a long history of Magic misery, one that now has them 0-6 in finals games. Orlando has been able to come back from seemingly every heartbreak this season - injuries, four last-second losses in the playoffs and series deficits in two rounds. A must for the Magic is NOT to give up the ball. The Magic had 20 turnovers, just 22 assists and no true ballhandler to make the Lakers pay for double-teaming Howard. Dwight Howard finished with 17pts after making just 5 of 10 from the field, but pulled down 16 rebounds. "We were just trying to see if we could get somebody out there who would make shots off of the double teams and off the pick-and-rolls and things like that," Van Gundy said. "I thought our guys fought hard, but we couldn't make enough plays. And the 20 turnovers crushed us." Orlando needs to go home and take care of business just like they did against Cleveland. The Magic are 7-2 at home in the playoffs where they’ve averaged 99.6 ppg and given up an average 91.5 ppg. They swept the Cavs at home and went 2-1 when hosting the Celtics. Recent Trends to Consider:
When: Tue, June 9, 2009 9:00 PM ET Line: Sportsbook.com Pick: Magic -4 Point-Spreads.com NBA Picks: Lakers vs Magic Game 3 NBA Finals Odds The Bottom Line: If the Magic swept the Cavs at home they’ll shut down the Lakers in their first home game. After that Phil Jackson will figure out what the Lakers have to do to win. Be sure to get your NBA Picks: Lakers vs Magic Game 3 NBA Finals Odds in now at Sportsbook.com and receive a 10% sign-up bonus on your initial deposit.                        |
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| Last Updated ( Tuesday, 09 June 2009 ) | |||||||