Lakers fans are scratching their heads wondering how it could have happened. How can they look so good in the first half of NBA Finals Game 4 Thursday night only to come out in the second half and lose the game? And to make matters worse at home in Staples Arena. How can the Lakers squander a 24 point lead in a game that means so much? Well, how they did or why they did doesn’t matter on Friday morning. What does matter is the Los Angeles Lakers are on the brink of elimination going down 1-3 in the NBA Finals to the Boston Celtics. The Celtics comeback after being down such a deficit will forever be remembered and talked about far into the future.
“I don't want to get overjoyed,'' Celtics forward Paul Pierce said. “I want to go out there to try and win Game 5 on Father's Day and then I'll be able to breathe. Right now, I'm waiting to exhale.”
The game was a disaster for Lakers backers who wagered the moneyline or spread. At gametime online sportsbook SportsBetting.com had the Lakers as -350 ML favorites and 7 ½ points against the spread (ATS). The total slipped UNDER the posted 191 points.
By Friday morning the betting line for 2008 NBA Finals Game 5 for Sunday (June 15) opened with the Lakers favored ATS by a -6 ½ point chalk with a 190 ½ total. ML prices have not been set however Las Vegas Sports Consultants has recommend Lakers -280 ML and Celtics at +220.
