Trying to turn NBA Finals in bettors' favor
Kobe Bryant. Kevin Garnett. Phil Jackson. Doc Rivers. Rivalry. Tradition. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics. After seemingly forever since the matchup was decided, the eagerly awaited NBA Finals tip off Thursday night with two longtime combatants set to battle for the hardwood's ultimate hardware. Is the buildup to the series warranted, or will the hype eventually fizzle out?
Let the games begin.
The most anticipated NBA Finals in some time is about to get underway – anticipated, that is, for anyone old enough to remember basketball before the Michael Jordan Era. This was a time when dinosaurs roamed the earth in short shorts; the ABA had recently folded, the 3-point shot was still a novelty, and a pair of rookies named Larry Bird and Earvin “Magic” Johnson were about to take the league on a wild ride through the glorious 1980s.
Bird’s Boston Celtics look a lot different these days. They look a lot different than they did just last year, when they were the worst team in the Eastern Conference at 24-58 (42-39-1 against the spread). Add Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and others, and Boston has enjoyed the fastest turnaround in NBA history, rocketing to the top of the league standings at 66-16 (52-28-2 ATS).
Johnson is still a part of the Lakers organization, which also has some familiar faces from the team’s 2000-2002 championship run. The most recognizable of those faces belongs to Kobe Bryant, this year’s MVP and a three-time champion with the Lakers. He’s joined by point guard Derek Fisher and coach Phil Jackson from those title years, but instead of Shaquille O’Neal in the middle, it’s now Pau Gasol.
Other faces may have changed, but the story remains the same as it did in the Magic-Bird years: the Lakers’ offense versus the Celtics’ defense. Boston finished the regular season first in defensive efficiency at 96.2 points allowed per 100 possessions. Los Angeles was third in offense at 109.0 points per 100 possessions, but that number jumps up to 114.0 in the 21 games Gasol played after coming to the West Coast from Memphis.
The Gasol trade was an absolute coup for the Lakers. They traded spare parts and draft picks to land the disgruntled Gasol in a fire sale reminiscent of the Vince Carter trade. The veteran Spaniard is a marvelous fit in Jackson’s triangle offense; like Shaq, Gasol is an excellent passing center with top rebounding skills and a nose for the basket. His improving defense still isn’t as strong as O’Neal’s in his prime, but the relationship he and Bryant have forged in such a short time is the polar opposite of the Shaq-Kobe power struggle.
"It seems like we’ve been playing together for years instead of months," Bryant told The USA Today. "It’s amazing how that’s worked. Since the first time he stepped on the floor, we automatically had a great relationship and understanding of where we like to operate on the floor. It’s been unbelievable."
This dynamic, combined with the talents of Fisher, Lamar Odom and a very deep Lakers bench, is enough to make Los Angeles a -160 favorite to win the NBA Finals even though the Celtics have home-court advantage. Boston’s Big Three of Garnett, Allen and Paul Pierce hasn’t been firing on all cylinders during these playoffs. Coach Doc Rivers has drawn negative criticism for his substitution patterns, and the offense has sputtered to seventh out of the 16 playoff teams at 105.2 points/100.
With little backup support for Rajon Rondo at point guard, and with a decided disadvantage from a coaching standpoint, the Celtics will have to play at their best level to beat L.A. Playing the first two games at the Garden in front of a carefully orchestrated home crowd should give the C’s the extra emotional lift to match up against the mighty Lakers.
Thursday’s Finals opener tips off at 9:00 p.m. Eastern on ABC. The total is 192 points, with Boston priced at -2½ on the NBA betting odds.
Kobe Bryant. Kevin Garnett. Phil Jackson. Doc Rivers. Rivalry. Tradition. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics. After seemingly forever since the matchup was decided, the eagerly awaited NBA Finals tip off Thursday night with two longtime combatants set to battle for the hardwood's ultimate hardware. Is the buildup to the series warranted, or will the hype eventually fizzle out?
Let the games begin.
The most anticipated NBA Finals in some time is about to get underway – anticipated, that is, for anyone old enough to remember basketball before the Michael Jordan Era. This was a time when dinosaurs roamed the earth in short shorts; the ABA had recently folded, the 3-point shot was still a novelty, and a pair of rookies named Larry Bird and Earvin “Magic” Johnson were about to take the league on a wild ride through the glorious 1980s.
Bird’s Boston Celtics look a lot different these days. They look a lot different than they did just last year, when they were the worst team in the Eastern Conference at 24-58 (42-39-1 against the spread). Add Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and others, and Boston has enjoyed the fastest turnaround in NBA history, rocketing to the top of the league standings at 66-16 (52-28-2 ATS).
Johnson is still a part of the Lakers organization, which also has some familiar faces from the team’s 2000-2002 championship run. The most recognizable of those faces belongs to Kobe Bryant, this year’s MVP and a three-time champion with the Lakers. He’s joined by point guard Derek Fisher and coach Phil Jackson from those title years, but instead of Shaquille O’Neal in the middle, it’s now Pau Gasol.
Other faces may have changed, but the story remains the same as it did in the Magic-Bird years: the Lakers’ offense versus the Celtics’ defense. Boston finished the regular season first in defensive efficiency at 96.2 points allowed per 100 possessions. Los Angeles was third in offense at 109.0 points per 100 possessions, but that number jumps up to 114.0 in the 21 games Gasol played after coming to the West Coast from Memphis.
The Gasol trade was an absolute coup for the Lakers. They traded spare parts and draft picks to land the disgruntled Gasol in a fire sale reminiscent of the Vince Carter trade. The veteran Spaniard is a marvelous fit in Jackson’s triangle offense; like Shaq, Gasol is an excellent passing center with top rebounding skills and a nose for the basket. His improving defense still isn’t as strong as O’Neal’s in his prime, but the relationship he and Bryant have forged in such a short time is the polar opposite of the Shaq-Kobe power struggle.
"It seems like we’ve been playing together for years instead of months," Bryant told The USA Today. "It’s amazing how that’s worked. Since the first time he stepped on the floor, we automatically had a great relationship and understanding of where we like to operate on the floor. It’s been unbelievable."
This dynamic, combined with the talents of Fisher, Lamar Odom and a very deep Lakers bench, is enough to make Los Angeles a -160 favorite to win the NBA Finals even though the Celtics have home-court advantage. Boston’s Big Three of Garnett, Allen and Paul Pierce hasn’t been firing on all cylinders during these playoffs. Coach Doc Rivers has drawn negative criticism for his substitution patterns, and the offense has sputtered to seventh out of the 16 playoff teams at 105.2 points/100.
With little backup support for Rajon Rondo at point guard, and with a decided disadvantage from a coaching standpoint, the Celtics will have to play at their best level to beat L.A. Playing the first two games at the Garden in front of a carefully orchestrated home crowd should give the C’s the extra emotional lift to match up against the mighty Lakers.
Thursday’s Finals opener tips off at 9:00 p.m. Eastern on ABC. The total is 192 points, with Boston priced at -2½ on the NBA betting odds.
