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Here is your Celtics vs. Lakers free pick for Game One of the 2010 NBA Finals. You can bet this game at Bookmaker.com here. Receive a 20 percent cash bonus upon joining. Restrictions do apply.
The Los Angeles Lakers host the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The two most storied franchises will face off with the highest honor up for grabs. The Lakers have home court advantage in this series, as well as revenge. The Lakers are 5.5 favorites, with a total of 192 points expected tonight. ABC will televise this game at 9:00 EDT.
The NBA Finals are here, and it's a familiar matchup. Los Angeles will take on Boston for the 12th time in the NBA Finals. This current group of Lakers players have plenty of motivation, as they lost to the Celtics just a few years ago in the Finals. In the two times these teams met this year, 2 points was the combined total separating these teams. Neither team has scored more than 90 PTS this year against each other, proving that defense indeed wins championships. G Kobe Bryant claims he doesn't care who he faces, as long as the Lakers win. F Pau Gasol acknowledged this rivalry was special for the entire NBA. Bryant is averaging 29.4 PPG this postseason, while Gasol is averaging 20 PPG. F Ron Artest has played a bigger role in the offense of late, including a dramatic buzzer beater against the Suns. Artest will be closely shadowing Paul Pierce during the Finals. Los Angeles is 69-29 SU and 42-53-3 ATS overall this season. The
Lakers are 42-7 SU and 21-27-1 ATS in home games this season. Los Angeles is 4-3 ATS as a home favorite between 3.5 and 6 PTS this season. The Lakers are 3-2 ATS revenging a home loss this year.
The Lakers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 against the Eastern Conference. The Over is 6-1 in their last 7 playoff games as a favorite. Center Andrew Bynum is listed as Probable with a knee injury.
Boston is looking to win NBA Titles in 2 of the past 3 seasons. Boston will look to again beat the Lakers to win yet another NBA Championship. The Celtics have played a brutal playoffs schedule, as they dispatched both Cleveland and Orlando on their way to the Finals. Several of the Celtics players are banged up, but they have certainly had enough rest to be ready for the showcase event. F Paul Pierce always gets excited to play the Lakers, as he grew up in LA. Pierce is averaging a team high 19.1 PPG this postseason. PG Rajon Rondo continues to be the breakout player of this years playoffs, as he's been simply phenomenal. Rondo is averaging 16.7 PPG, 10 APG, and 5 RPG this post-season. Rondo is also playing great defense, as he's averaging more than 2 steals per game in showing off his all around skills. Even the Big Ticket, F Kevin Garnett is playing rejuvenated. Garnett is averaging nearly 15 PPG and 9 RPG during the playoffs this year. Boston is 62-37 SU and 45-52-2 ATS overall this season. The Celtics are 31-18 SU and 26-22-1 ATS in road contests this season. Boston is 14-12 ATS as the listed underdog this year. The Celtics have struggled against the Pacific Division this year, as they are only 1-8 ATS.
The Celtics are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games as an underdog of 5 to 10.5 points. The Under is 4-1 in their last 5 games following a SU win. Guard Rajon Rondo and F Rasheed Wallace are both listed as Probable with back injuries.
Pregame.com projects the final score to be 101-88 in favor of the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers -5.5 is the Side of the Day!
This Celtics vs. Lakers free pick was courtesy of Johnny Detroit of Pregame.com.
