Orlando Magic host Celtics in NBA doubleheader
Orlando Magic host Celtics in NBA doubleheader
For Rashard Lewis and the Orlando Magic, everything is going right these days. Not only have they won 16 of their last 18, covering 15 of them, they have the advantage of rest going into tonight's home tilt against a Boston Celtics team that is playing the second tilt in a back-to-back setting. Thursday's nightcap finds the sinking Washington Wizards in Los Angeles against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.
It’s not all fun and games being an NBA player. Three of the four teams involved in Thursday’s TNT doubleheader were also in action on Wednesday. The Orlando Magic are the lone exceptions; they’ll be playing on four complete days of rest after sweeping a four-game tour of the Western Conference. Everyone else will be sucking wind in the fourth quarter – and without Charles Barkley to inspire them at halftime
Boston Celtics at Orlando Magic (-5, 191½)
Thursday, Jan 22, 8:05 p.m. (ET) TNT
The Celtics were able to dispatch the Miami Heat 98-83 at AmericanAirlines Arena, cashing in 5½-point road faves to improve to 35-9 SU and 24-20 ATS. Boston has won six in a row at 5-1 ATS; looks like the C’s have gotten over that Christmas Day loss to the Lakers, although they did have the benefit of playing Toronto and New Jersey twice each.
Boston welcomed center Kendrick Perkins (11.3 rebounds per 40 minutes) back to the lineup on Wednesday. Brian Scalabrine started at center during his absence and wasn’t a total disaster, scoring 8.4 points and adding 2.8 rebounds per game with a smattering of blocks and steals. Scalabrine came off the bench Wednesday and played 23 minutes, leaving more productive players like Glen Davis (10 minutes) and Leon Powe (eight minutes) to ride the pine. Has the team brass associated Scalabrine’s increased workload with the winning streak? As long as their 12th man is logging heavy minutes, the Celtics will not really be at full strength.
Orlando still has the best record in the NBA at 33-8 (28-12-1 ATS). The Magic are on a sizzling 16-2 SU (15-3 ATS) streak with virtually everything going right all at once. Dwight Howard has taken his game to another level, improving from 22.61 PER last year to 25.88 PER this year on 22.3 points and an amazing 15.6 rebounds per 40 minutes. Jameer Nelson (21.16 PER) is also having a career year, and Hedo Turkoglu (15.20 PER) is still a positive performer even though his 3-point percentage is down to 36.5 percent, his lowest since his 2000-01 rookie campaign in Sacramento. The Eastern Conference is suddenly Orlando’s for the taking.
Washington Wizards at Los Angeles Lakers (-14½, 207½)
Thursday, Jan 22, 10:35 p.m. (ET) TNT
These are giant betting odds, even given the disparity between the 9-32 Wizards (17-24 ATS) and the 33-8 Lakers (19-22 ATS). Washington is coming off a 110-107 victory over the Kings (-2½ at home), while Los Angeles (-16) was unable to bag the cash in a 108-97 triumph over the Clippers, another team stuck at nine wins. The Lakers are 5-12 ATS this year when favored by at least 11 points; Washington is 5-1 ATS when getting at least 11 points.
Luke Walton (toe) made his return to the L.A. rotation on Wednesday, scoring 11 points in 21 minutes and giving the Lakers some much-needed depth with Jordan Farmar (knee) still out until at least this Sunday. Farmar wasn’t expected back until the All-Star break; instead, his timetable might be moved up after a successful practice session on Monday. The Lakers will need Farmar back soon. Sasha Vujacic played 23 minutes against the Clippers on a sprained ankle, but three points on a 1-for-7 shooting performance suggest “The Machine” is in need of repair.
The Wizards are still the masters of disaster with four important players out of the lineup, including star point guard Gilbert Arenas (knee). After a brief spurt of success at the pay window, Washington is 2-7 SU and 3-6 ATS in its last nine outings. Mike James is putting up 12.6 points per game since coming over from New Orleans and joining the starting lineup in Arenas’ place. James is also canning 41.5 percent of his trey attempts, but his defense is awful. Andray Blatche (17.16 PER) has been much more useful at center, although his defense could also use some polish. The under is 11-5-1 this past month despite the lousy D.
For Rashard Lewis and the Orlando Magic, everything is going right these days. Not only have they won 16 of their last 18, covering 15 of them, they have the advantage of rest going into tonight's home tilt against a Boston Celtics team that is playing the second tilt in a back-to-back setting. Thursday's nightcap finds the sinking Washington Wizards in Los Angeles against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.
It’s not all fun and games being an NBA player. Three of the four teams involved in Thursday’s TNT doubleheader were also in action on Wednesday. The Orlando Magic are the lone exceptions; they’ll be playing on four complete days of rest after sweeping a four-game tour of the Western Conference. Everyone else will be sucking wind in the fourth quarter – and without Charles Barkley to inspire them at halftime
Boston Celtics at Orlando Magic (-5, 191½)
Thursday, Jan 22, 8:05 p.m. (ET) TNT
The Celtics were able to dispatch the Miami Heat 98-83 at AmericanAirlines Arena, cashing in 5½-point road faves to improve to 35-9 SU and 24-20 ATS. Boston has won six in a row at 5-1 ATS; looks like the C’s have gotten over that Christmas Day loss to the Lakers, although they did have the benefit of playing Toronto and New Jersey twice each.
Boston welcomed center Kendrick Perkins (11.3 rebounds per 40 minutes) back to the lineup on Wednesday. Brian Scalabrine started at center during his absence and wasn’t a total disaster, scoring 8.4 points and adding 2.8 rebounds per game with a smattering of blocks and steals. Scalabrine came off the bench Wednesday and played 23 minutes, leaving more productive players like Glen Davis (10 minutes) and Leon Powe (eight minutes) to ride the pine. Has the team brass associated Scalabrine’s increased workload with the winning streak? As long as their 12th man is logging heavy minutes, the Celtics will not really be at full strength.
Orlando still has the best record in the NBA at 33-8 (28-12-1 ATS). The Magic are on a sizzling 16-2 SU (15-3 ATS) streak with virtually everything going right all at once. Dwight Howard has taken his game to another level, improving from 22.61 PER last year to 25.88 PER this year on 22.3 points and an amazing 15.6 rebounds per 40 minutes. Jameer Nelson (21.16 PER) is also having a career year, and Hedo Turkoglu (15.20 PER) is still a positive performer even though his 3-point percentage is down to 36.5 percent, his lowest since his 2000-01 rookie campaign in Sacramento. The Eastern Conference is suddenly Orlando’s for the taking.
Washington Wizards at Los Angeles Lakers (-14½, 207½)
Thursday, Jan 22, 10:35 p.m. (ET) TNT
These are giant betting odds, even given the disparity between the 9-32 Wizards (17-24 ATS) and the 33-8 Lakers (19-22 ATS). Washington is coming off a 110-107 victory over the Kings (-2½ at home), while Los Angeles (-16) was unable to bag the cash in a 108-97 triumph over the Clippers, another team stuck at nine wins. The Lakers are 5-12 ATS this year when favored by at least 11 points; Washington is 5-1 ATS when getting at least 11 points.
Luke Walton (toe) made his return to the L.A. rotation on Wednesday, scoring 11 points in 21 minutes and giving the Lakers some much-needed depth with Jordan Farmar (knee) still out until at least this Sunday. Farmar wasn’t expected back until the All-Star break; instead, his timetable might be moved up after a successful practice session on Monday. The Lakers will need Farmar back soon. Sasha Vujacic played 23 minutes against the Clippers on a sprained ankle, but three points on a 1-for-7 shooting performance suggest “The Machine” is in need of repair.
The Wizards are still the masters of disaster with four important players out of the lineup, including star point guard Gilbert Arenas (knee). After a brief spurt of success at the pay window, Washington is 2-7 SU and 3-6 ATS in its last nine outings. Mike James is putting up 12.6 points per game since coming over from New Orleans and joining the starting lineup in Arenas’ place. James is also canning 41.5 percent of his trey attempts, but his defense is awful. Andray Blatche (17.16 PER) has been much more useful at center, although his defense could also use some polish. The under is 11-5-1 this past month despite the lousy D.