Game 1 total is 191 1/2 or 192 depending on which book you have. I think with the total this low many people are going to jump on the over so the number may go up to 193 by tipoff. Either way, this total is way way too fking high and I am telling you right now it wont break 180 IMO anyways.
The Celtics are playing great Defense right now. the Celtics were struggling toward the end of the season because they just didnt care that much. What has changed in the playoffs ? They have started playing great defense. This Celtics team has not turned it around by scoring points, in fact they dont score points.
The Celtics very rarely break 100. The only way they can win is by continuing to play great defense. In their last 9 games the Celtics have given up 87,88,85,88,92,71,96,113, and 84 points.
So in its last 9 games, the Celtics defense has held its opponents to 88 or less 9 times and only allowed its opponent to score over 96 one time. During that 9 game stretch the Celtics have given up an average of 86.5 points. That was against two very good offensive teams in the Cavaliers and Magic.
Now many may say, well this is the Lakers. The fact is that the Lakers are much more of a defensive team than an offensive team. Kobe doesnt get his due but he is a great defensive player as well as offensive.
The Celtics held down the Magic and Cavaliers, two teams who have to score big to win, which was evidenced by the fact that they didnt score and thus didnt win. The Celtics defense totally shut down Dwight Howard, something that no other team has been able to do. As great a player as Kobe is, we arent going to see him going for 40-45 points a game, not against these Celtics. I think the rest of the Lakers are going to really struggle to score in this series. How many times have we seen the Lakers become the Kobe show when they are playing a good defensive team ? A lot. That is what will happen in this series.
The Lakers play great defense as well when they have to and they will have to in this series.
Yes the Lakers vs. Suns series averaged out to about 222 points per game. Is the difference between playing the Celtics vs Suns really 30 points ? I think it is easily. The entire tempo of the game will be different as the Celtics are going to play slow down offense and make the Lakers work on each possession. By contrast the Suns just like to shoot. We will see far fewer shots in these games and thus I think 190 will be a very hard total for really any of these games to achieve.
Both teams will come into this game 1 having had nearly a week off since their last games. That should help the defenses early as I expect rusty shooting in the first quarter. However by the second quarter on, the scoring pace may pick up as everyone will have rested legs. That doesnt change my feeling on this game at all though.
The Lakers vs Celtics finals will be all about defense not offense and I truly expect games in the high 80's like 88-85 finals. Something in that area. This opening game being played in Los Angeles means the Lakers defense will be ready to go as even when the Lakers have given up points its been on the road not at home. The Celtics have been playing great defense every where.
just cant see this game getting even to 182 let alone 192. To me the under on game 1 ia a solid +EV play.
Good Luck.
The Celtics are playing great Defense right now. the Celtics were struggling toward the end of the season because they just didnt care that much. What has changed in the playoffs ? They have started playing great defense. This Celtics team has not turned it around by scoring points, in fact they dont score points.
The Celtics very rarely break 100. The only way they can win is by continuing to play great defense. In their last 9 games the Celtics have given up 87,88,85,88,92,71,96,113, and 84 points.
So in its last 9 games, the Celtics defense has held its opponents to 88 or less 9 times and only allowed its opponent to score over 96 one time. During that 9 game stretch the Celtics have given up an average of 86.5 points. That was against two very good offensive teams in the Cavaliers and Magic.
Now many may say, well this is the Lakers. The fact is that the Lakers are much more of a defensive team than an offensive team. Kobe doesnt get his due but he is a great defensive player as well as offensive.
The Celtics held down the Magic and Cavaliers, two teams who have to score big to win, which was evidenced by the fact that they didnt score and thus didnt win. The Celtics defense totally shut down Dwight Howard, something that no other team has been able to do. As great a player as Kobe is, we arent going to see him going for 40-45 points a game, not against these Celtics. I think the rest of the Lakers are going to really struggle to score in this series. How many times have we seen the Lakers become the Kobe show when they are playing a good defensive team ? A lot. That is what will happen in this series.
The Lakers play great defense as well when they have to and they will have to in this series.
Yes the Lakers vs. Suns series averaged out to about 222 points per game. Is the difference between playing the Celtics vs Suns really 30 points ? I think it is easily. The entire tempo of the game will be different as the Celtics are going to play slow down offense and make the Lakers work on each possession. By contrast the Suns just like to shoot. We will see far fewer shots in these games and thus I think 190 will be a very hard total for really any of these games to achieve.
Both teams will come into this game 1 having had nearly a week off since their last games. That should help the defenses early as I expect rusty shooting in the first quarter. However by the second quarter on, the scoring pace may pick up as everyone will have rested legs. That doesnt change my feeling on this game at all though.
The Lakers vs Celtics finals will be all about defense not offense and I truly expect games in the high 80's like 88-85 finals. Something in that area. This opening game being played in Los Angeles means the Lakers defense will be ready to go as even when the Lakers have given up points its been on the road not at home. The Celtics have been playing great defense every where.
just cant see this game getting even to 182 let alone 192. To me the under on game 1 ia a solid +EV play.
Good Luck.
I'm seeing it pretty even for the most part with the public slightly on the over. It's still only Tuesday... i would expect the closer we get to the game for more of the public money to come in on the over.
