Lakers v Celtics - NBA Finals

Well it is that time of year again – the 2010 NBA Finals! We have a big treat in store as the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics continue their fierce rivalry with a replay of the 2008 Finals which the Celtics famously won in Game 7.

It is fitting really, these are the two most prolific teams in NBA history with the Celtics having won 17 titles and the Lakers 15. It’s no surprise to see the Lakers in the final as they have been favourites pretty much all year, but Cleveland and Orlando were both highly fancied to win the Eastern Conferance, so the Celtics have produced some magic to make it this far.

The Fixtures

• Game 1 – Celtics @ Lakers (Friday 4th, 11am)
• Game 2 – Celtics @ Lakers (Monday 7th, 10am)
• Game 3 – Lakers @ Celtics (Wednesday 9th, 11am)
• Game 4 – Lakers @ Celtics (Friday 11th, 11am)
• Game 5 – Lakers @ Celtics (Monday 14th, 10am)
• Game 6 – Celtics @ Lakers (Wednesday 16th, 11am)
• Game 7 – Celtics @ Lakers (Friday 18th, 11am)

* All times are AEST

The Regular Season

The spoils were shared during the regular season, but it’s tough to read into it that much considering both matches were decided by 1 point on both occasions! The Lakers won away to Boston 90-89 in late January, before Boston returned the favour winning in LA 87-86 a fortnight later on the back of some Ray Ellen brilliance.

In Recent Times

Incredibly, their only meeting in 2009 was decided by 1 point again, with the Lakers winning 110-109 in OT. In fact it is near impossible to split these sides, as they are both 5 wins each from the past 10 matches played during the past two years.

However, if you’re a punter who plays the spreads, and lets face it, if your betting on the NBA then it’s likely you are – then it is interesting to note that the Lakers have covered the spread only twice in their last 10 matches against the Lakers. Some food for thought.

The Verdict

This match will come down to whether or not the Celtics can stop Kobe Bryant. He is having a super playoffs series, in fact I swear im watching Michael Jordan at his best whilst watching Kobe during these playoffs. He has hit 30+ points in 11 of 15 games during the playoffs and single handily destroyed Phoenix in Game 6.

But enough about Kobe. The Lakers have stunning depth, Pau Gasol is having a brilliant season 11 rebounds per game and along with Lamar Odom they have dominated the paint all year. Ron Artest has added another dimension to this squad and has proven to be a masterstroke signing and with guys like Andrew Bynum, Jordan Farmar and Derek Fisher there to help, it’s a fantastic side.

Boston will be no pushovers though. Kevin Garnett may not be playing as well as he has in recent years, but he thrives on the big stage and I think he is ready to tear the court up. Paul Pierce can hit shots from anywhere on the court, as can Ray Allen, and the Celtics should be able to counter the Lakers strong defence if they can hit shots from the perimeter. Rasheed Wallace has been a more than handy inclusion since his move from Detroit and should play a key part of this clash.

As I said earlier, Kobe Bryant is the key. There is no way the Celtics will be able to stop his brilliance, but if they can limit his output like they have certainly done in the past, then I think the Celtics can certainly win this series. They looked a super outfit in their series win over Orlando and I just believe they will win this series. Im hoping it can go to Game 7, but im predicting the Celtics 4-2 in what would be an upset.

My Final Say

I can’t wait for this, the Lakers-Celtics match is the first I look for when the calendars are released, so to have these two in The Finals again is a dream. Im tipping the Celtics to win the series and make it number 18!

Tip – Celtics to win Series 4-2

Free Bets on The NBA Finals

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Cleveland and the LA Lakers are the two hot tips to make The Finals, however they will both face stiff competition from Orlando and Boston, and Dallas and Denver respectively. It is sure to be an epic series and Aussies can catch all the action live on One HD and ESPN.

Also remember you can chat about the 2010 NBA Playoffs at our new betting forum at PunterZone.com.au – we’re pretty new but we’re a growing community and already have some great NBA tipsters on the forum. Check out their free tips today. Visit forum >>

Eastern Conference

Cleveland (1) v Chicago (8)

Regular season series (Series tied 2-2)

• Chicago 86, Cleveland 85 (Nov 5)
• Chicago 87, Cleveland 101 (Dec 4)
• Cleveland 92, Chicago 85 (Mar 19)
• Cleveland 108, Chicago 109 (Apr 7)

Orlando (2) v Charlotte (7)

Regular season series (Magic won 3-1)

• Orlando 93, Charlotte 81 (Nov 10)
• Charlotte 91, Orlando 97 (Nov 16)
• Orlando 106, Charlotte 95 (Jan 23)
• Charlotte 96, Orlando 89 (Mar 14)

Atlanta (3) v Milwaukee (6)

Regular season series (Hawks won 2-1)

• Milwaukee 102, Atlanta 106 (Feb 28)
• Atlanta 95, Milwaukee 98 (Mar 22)
• Atlanta 104, Milwaukee 96 (Apr 12)

Boston (4) v Miami (5)

Regular season series (Celtics won 3-0)

• Boston 92, Miami 85 (Nov 29)
• Boston 112, Miami 106 (Jan 6)
• Miami 102, Boston 107 (Feb 3)

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Western Conference

LA Lakers (1) v Oklahoma City (8)

Regular season series (Lakers won 3-1)

• LA Lakers 101, Oklahoma 98 (Nov 3)
• Oklahoma 85, LA Lakers 101 (Nov 22)
• Oklahoma 108, LA Lakers 111 (Dec 22)
• LA Lakers 75, Oklahoma 91 (Mar 26)

Dallas (2) v San Antonio (7)

Regular season series (Mavericks won 3-1)

• Dallas 83, San Antonio 92 (Nov 11)
• San Antonio 94, Dallas 99 (Nov 17)
• Dallas 112, San Antonio 96 (Jan 7)
• San Antonio 89, Dallas 96 (Apr 14)

Phoenix (3) v Portland (6)

Regular season series (Trail Blazers won 2-1)

• Phoenix 102, Portland 105 (Dec 17)
• Portland 108, Phoenix 101 (Feb 10)
• Portland 87, Phoenix 93 (Mar 21)

Denver (4) v Utah (5)

Regular season series (Nuggets won 3-1)

• Utah 105, Denver 114 (Oct 28)
• Denver 105, Utah 95 (Jan 17)
• Utah 112, Denver 119 (Jan 17)
• Denver 106, Utah 116 (Feb 6)

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NBA Tips 23/2

There looks to be some value out there in the NBA today and we’ll be making a couple of plays. There are three games which take our fancy, so check out our tips below. If you want to place a bet, then be sure to register an account with Sportsbet, where you can claim a $300 Free Bet.

Chicago Bulls @ Washington Wizards

We’ll start with Chicago against the spread on their road trip to the new look Wizards. Both these sides were active in trade week and we believe the Bulls have strengthened their squad thanks to the addition of Hakim Warrick and Flip Murray. Casting an eye over the stats we see Chicago are 8-2 against the spread in their last ten road matches, while they have won 4 of their last 5 against the Wizards. Couple that with the fact Chicago have won 6 of their past 7 overall, beating the spread in 6 of those 7. They have been averaging 108 pts a game in their last five compared to that of 100 for the Wizards. Take Chicago -2.5 at $1.91 with Sportsbet.

Charlotte Bobcats @ LA Clippers

The Bobcats look a good proposition in their trip the Los Angeles. A quick look at the history shows Charlotte have won their past four games against the Clippers by an average of 9.5 pts, including wins in their past two trips here. Charlotte went from one extreme to the next last week by losing to the bottom team New Jersey, then following that up with a win against top side Cleveland ending their 13 game winning run. It’s hard to know which Bobcats side you’re going to get, but we’re predicting it will be the one that can beat any outfit on it’s day. Look at taking Charlotte -3.5 at $1.91 with Sportsbet.

Indiana Pacers @ Dallas Mavericks

We like the home side in this clash. They are taking on their whipping boys the Indiana Pacers, a team they have beaten in 8 of their last 9 attempts by an average winning margin of 12 points. The Mavs have been a bit sluggish over the last month or so, but look to have eased their troubles by winning their past three against decent opposition in Phoenix, Orlando and Miami. Star Dirk Nowitzki has solid support on the offensive end from the likes of Caron Butler and Jason Kidd and they will give the Pacers plenty of trouble here, particularly given their main scorer Danny Granger will miss the match. Without Granger, the Pacers will struggle to hit high numbers. We suggest taking Dallas -9.5 at $1.91 with Sportsbet.

Sportsbet – You’re Best Bet for the NBA

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NBL Playoffs

The NBL regular season is now complete and we gear up for the Semi Finals, which tip off on Thursday night. The Playoffs will be contested between Perth Wildcats, Wollongong Hawks, Townsville Crocodiles and the Gold Coast Blaze, who rounded up the top four. The two winners of the Best-Of-Three Semi Finals will proceed to the Grand Final.

Below is the schedule, but be sure to check back to our Blog regularly throughout the Playoffs as we’ll be providing a full betting preview of each match which will include the latest odds, tips and news.

Perth Wildcats v Gold Coast Blaze – First Semi Final

• Game 1: Thursday Feb 18th at 7:00pm – Challenge Stadium BET NOW!
• Game 2: Tuesday Feb 23rd at 7:30pm – Gold Coast Convention Centre BET NOW!
• Game 3: Sunday Feb 28th at 4:30pm – Challenge Stadium (if required) BET NOW!

Wollongong Hawks v Townsville Crocodiles – Second Semi Final

• Game 1: Friday Feb 19th at 7:30pm – WIN Entertainment Centre BET NOW!
• Game 2: Wednesday Feb 24th at 7:30pm – Townsville Entertainment Centre BET NOW!
• Game 3: Saturday Feb 27th at 7:30pm – WIN Entertainment Centre (if required) BET NOW!

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2010 NBA All Star Match

Well here we are again, All Star weekend in the NBA as the best from the East take on the best from the West. This match is literally going to be the biggest NBA All Star match in history with over 90,000 people expected to be in attendance at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, crushing the old record of 78,129 for a basketball match in America.

This match is always a great spectacle with the best NBA players going head to head. The West won last year event 146-119 in a landslide as Kobe Bryant and Shaq ran riot. Kobe won’t be playing this year due to injury, but the West are still favourites at $1.82, with the East at $2.00 at Centrebet.

The West will be very strong and hard to stop in the paint with guys like Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, Zach Randolph and Tim Duncan, while on the offensive end they look unstoppable with Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony both averaging 29 points a game this year, and backup coming from the likes of Chauncey Billups, Chris Paul, Brandon Roy and Steve Nash. There doesn’t appear to be too many weaknesses in this team.

However, The East has one man who can weaken The West – that man is LeBron James. LeBron absolutely loves this stage having won two All Star MVP’s and he is having perhaps one of his best seasons yet this year. He will be supported by the likes of Dwayne Wade, Rajon Rondo and Allen Iverson on the offensive end, while in the paint they have rebound king Dwight Howard, Kevin Garnett, Chris Bosh and Al Horford.

Both sides have formidable line ups, but we’re going with The West, they just have too much quality for The East to handle. Take The East -1 at $1.91 and also look at the Under 261.5 at $1.90 for this one. Catch all the action live on ESPN from midday.

East Line Up

LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Joe Johnson, Derrick Rose, Gerald Wallace, Paul Pierce, Dwight Howard, Allen Iverson, Rajon Rondo, Al Horford

West Line Up

Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Dirk Nowitzki, Brandon Roy, Amare Stoudemire, Zach Randolph, Chris Paul, Chris Karman, Chauncey Billups, Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, Pau Gasol.

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NBA Tips 02/02

There looks a bit of value out there today in the NBA. We’ve studied today’s matches and found a couple that we like. The out of form Boston will be looking to out gun Washington and are value to do so at -5.0 at $1.91. The Celtics have the wood on the Wizards in recent years winning the past four straight, including the last two at this venue (won of those a 122-88 win). Hard to see the Celtics dropping this one. Tip – Boston -5.0 at $1.91

Milwaukee appear WAY over the odds at $3.25 with their trip to Miami. The Bucks were 95-84 winners over Miami only two days ago on Sunday and they do know how to win at this venue, winning in two of their past four visits here. The line here is +6.5 on the Bucks which is hard to ignore. Tip – Milwaukee +6.5 at $1.91

Phoenix is another we like. They look over the odds at $2.00 in their trip to New Orleans and their form suggest they should be able to scoot past the Hornets.The Suns have won at Houston and defeated Dallas in their past two games and are really firing, thanks to solid form from Amare Stoudemire. The Hornets will be without superstar Chris Paul until mid March after he injured his knee last match, while James Posey will miss also. Very hard to dismiss the Suns here. Tip – Phoenix win at $2.00

Portland could be another one who look value at $1.80, home to Charlotte. The Bobcats have been struggling on the road this year winning only 6 of 23, however the Blazers will be without playmaker Brandon Roy for this clash. It is a tough one, but we slightly fancy the Blazers to win a close one. Portland win at $1.80

Remember Centrebet are you best bet for the NBA with their unique Pick Your Own Line bet option, allowing you to choose what line you want to back teams at. This is a great option, we suggest looking at Boston -5.0 into Milwaukee +10.5 at the juicy odds of $2.80.

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