NBA Playoff Betting – Experienced Celtics are too much for broken Magic
When making your NBA picks on Thursday night, online betting players have to take something into account that doesn’t show up in the box scores: heart. This is something the Orlando Magic are lacking, as they’ve given up a number of leads in these playoffs, and it came back to bite them in Game 5. Sportsbook odds are favoring Orlando in Game 6, but the Boston Celtics have experience to draw from, and that will be the difference on Thursday.
- “Big Baby” stepping up in a big way
- Magic three-point gunners have gone cold
- Celtics bench instrumental in Game 5 win
Glen “Big Baby” Davis followed his game-winning shot in Game 4 with another sterling performance in Game 5’s 92-88 win, scoring 21 points and grabbing seven boards. Paul Pierce had a nice all-around game, notched 19 points, nine boards and eight assists for the Celtics, who came back from a 14-point deficit in the final stanza to shock the Magic. The key to the Celtics’ comeback? Stephon Marbury, who hasn’t done anything since joining the Celtics in late February, but he scored all of his 12 points in the fourth quarter to keep Boston in the game.
Hedo Turkoglu led the Magic with 18 points, while Dwight Howard had 12 points and 17 boards. Howard complained to the press about a lack of touches and some substitution patterns in Game 5, which shows a lack of composure, but he’s not like he wasn’t right. The Magic stopped going to Howard in the post, even though the Celtics don’t have anyone who can guard him, instead preferring to go to Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis, while J.J. Redick has been awful over the last two games.
Basketball betting odds are favoring the Magic by 6.5 points at home, but the Celtics have too many players who’ve been in tough situations to be bothered by a hostile crowd. The Magic seem to have lost faith in their coach, and Stan Van Gundy has made some glaring mistakes in the postseason. Besides that, the Magic have been giving up big leads throughout the playoffs, and you can’t afford to do that against the defending champions. Not only did the Magic lose Game 6, they’ve also lost their soul, and it’ll be a long offseason. Make Boston one of your NBA picks on Thursday.
For more NBA picks, bookmark the Betting Edge at BetOnline.com.
Craig Parsons is an avid sports fan, but his true love has always been basketball. Too short to realize his dream of playing in the NBA, he did the next best thing: sports betting and covering basketball for a living. Thoughts or questions? Email Comments@BetOnline.com.
