Cavs Gets Redemptive Win Over Magic

With the city of Cleveland’s pride on the line, and with last season’s heartbreaking Eastern Conference Championship loss still fresh in the mind of LeBron James and Cleveland fans, the Cavaliers got a redeeming 102-93 win over the Orlando Magic, last night.

Mo Williams, who previously struggled in the Conference Finals, found his shots this time around. He scored 22 points (9-9) in the first half of the game, and added 4 assists. Williams finished the game with 28 total points, 6 assists, and 1 rebound. Also, an aggressive LeBron James scored a season high 36 points, with 4 assists, and 8 rebounds.

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NBA Power Rankings: Week 1

Thanks to all of you for tuning into my second NBA Power Rankings! (Care to see the first? Here you go: preseason NBA Power Rankings.)

I hope all of you enjoyed the NBA’s opening week, I sure did. Some great teams were on display, with some poor starts and some surprising starts as well. These rankings are based on the team’s performance from the previous week. Don’t like my rankings? Love them? Be sure to comment, as I accept all forms of criticism. I have also shown how far the teams have jumped or dropped, with a plus or minus.

With all of this commotion going on, let me dissect the NBA’s opening week for all of you. I present to you, Devon’s Weekly NBA Power Rankings (Week 1) … Continue Reading

2009 NBA Finals: Lakers-Magic Game 1 Odds and Series Prediction

You.

Hey YOU!

I know the NBA Finals odds aren’t your dream Kobe-LeBron matchup; you’re probably pissed that you don’t get Federer-Nadal in the French Open odds too, right? But seriously, put down the box of tissue. You’re getting Superman vs Kobe, for cryin’ out loud, It’s not like we’re watching Spurs-Pistons here!

The Lakers vs Magic odds, even without King James and the Cavs, still pit two of the hugest stars in the sport against one another. It’s the best big man in the business, Dwight Howard, versus the best scoring machine this side of LeBron, Kobe Bryant. Interestingly enough, though, the series will be decided by the supporting cast, not the stars.

Lakers-Magic odds: Game 1 Thursday, June 4 at 9:05 p.m. ET
Lakers NBA Finals odds: -280
Magic NBA Finals odds: +230

Follow the link to view the complete 2009 NBA Finals TV Schedule.

Many offshore sportsbook bettors are plenty excited about the NBA Finals odds, as they feel the Magic offer nice value and have a real chance to upset L.A. After all, few pundits expected them to get past the Celtics and, especially, the Cavaliers, so isn’t it time to give them respect? They also swept the Lakers 2-0 in the season series, winning a game at Staples Center. So why can’t they beat the Lakers now?

I’ll tell you why.

First off, home-court advantage will play a role in this series. Yes, the Magic won in L.A. during the regular season and, yes, they won a Game 7 on the road against the Celtics, and those are impressive accomplishments. However, no team in NBA history has won two road Game 7s in one playoffs, so the hoops betting odds are stacked against the Magic. The Lakers have had their hiccups here and there but they’re still dominant at Staples Center. Should the series go to a Game 7, they’d have a decided advantage.

Some basketball betting fans feel we can’t dismiss the Magic’s great regular-season play against the Lakers, especially with Jameer Nelson possibly returning for the series. However, the playoffs are a different beast and the Lakers are much more seasoned in that regard, as Kobe and Derek Fisher’s ring collections suggest. As for Nelson, he may not be 100 per cent if he plays and there’s no telling what could happen to the team chemistry upon his return. Can you say Ewing Theory?

The most important misconception among NBA Championship odds bettors is that the Magic have the advantage in the paint because of Dwight Howard. He is undoubtedly Planet Earth’s undisputed king of the paint, but he’s just one man. After him, the Magic seriously lack toughness and scoring depth inside; that’s a major problem considering how often Howard gets into foul trouble. He had 32 fouls in the Cavaliers series. The Lakers have Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. How can Howard stop all three?

The Magic’s outside shooting has been amazing, with Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu and even Rafer Alston draining three-balls like crazy. But outside shooting can go cold; inside scoring is much more consistent, so the scoring edge has to go to the Lakers.

THE VERDICT

The Magic are a cohesive team that spreads the ball around well, so they won’t go quietly against the Lakers. Two or three wins are entirely possible. However, the Lakers have what Cleveland had – an All-World scorer in Kobe Bryant – plus much more depth, especially inside. They’ll be too much for the Magic to handle, as they can beat them in so many ways.

Best sportsbook pick: Lakers in six

Follow the link to join BetOnline and get in on the betting action for the 2009 NBA Finals and receive a $125 initial deposite bonus.

What is your prediction for the NBA FInals?

Who will win the 2009 NBA Finals?

• Orlando Magic (32%, 109 Votes)
• Los Angeles Lakers (68%, 227 Votes)

Total Voters: 336

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2009 NBA Finals Preview: Lakers-Magic TV Schedule and Point Spreads

Throughout the week, we’ll be posting stories about the 2009 NBA Finals between the Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers. I have to admit that the series will be a little bittersweet for me with LeBron and the Cavs out of it. I had never actively rooted for a particular NBA team since Jordan retired, but LeBron has turned me into a Cavs fan, as well as my association with so many Clevelanders. Plus, the sports fans in me would have loved to see a LeBron-Kobe mano-a-mano matchup.

But it didn’t happen, and the Magic are a very deserving team. Dwight Howard is becoming a dominant force, and the white-guy-from-Indiana in me can’t help but love seeing how deadly the Magic are from beyond the arc. There is something special about watching LeBron try to do everything on his own, but the Magic obviously play a much crisper brand of team basketball and are entertaining in their own right. I give a lot of the credit for that to Stan Van Gundy, the Magic’s underrated coach.

Can they beat the Lakers though? That will be tough. No one can beat the Lakers when they come ready to play and function as a cohesive unit. I think they’ll do that in four of the games and come away with another championship, but after watching Orlando play against Cleveland I certainly would be surprised if the series went the other way.

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Click Here for Deals on Lakers-Magic Tickets for the 2009 NBA Finals

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Anyway, you’re here for information, and information you shall receive. The 2009 NBA FInals Lakers-Magic TV Schedule is below, with the complete TV listings (all games on ABC) including dates and times. Plus, I’ll hop on here regularly to update the point spread info and results of each game. Here ya go:

Check back throughout the week as, in addition to the Lakers-Magic NBA Finals TV Schedule, we’ll also be bringing you historical information about the NBA Playoffs, the Magic and Lakers, and betting tips if gambling is your thing.

It should be a great finals, but the best player usually comes out on top; which gives the Lakers a huge edge I think. What do you think?

Who will win the 2009 NBA Finals?

• Orlando Magic (32%, 109 Votes)
• Los Angeles Lakers (68%, 227 Votes)

Total Voters: 336

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2009 NBA Playoffs: Eastern and Western Conference Finals Series Odds and Predictions

Western Conference Finals Series Odds and Prediction: Denver Nuggets v Los Angeles Lakers
Nuggets vs Lakers odds: Lakers -270

The Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers come into this series on different ends of the spectrum. The Nuggets are winners of 22 of their last 28 games dating back to the regular season and are hot right now. Meanwhile, the Lakers stumble into this series after a careless seven-game series against the Houston Rockets.

The Lakers won’t take the Nuggets as lightly as they did the Rockets but more importantly, after facing such a good defensive team in Houston, playing against Denver’s weak defense should simple.

The Nuggets are a high-scoring but they simply won’t outscore the Lakers, who averaged more points per game in the regular season than the Nuggets. Unless Denver finds a way to slow down the Lakers, which is what the Rockets did, then this series could be a quick one.

The Lakers are 7-0 in the playoffs when scoring 100 points or more and are just 1-4 when failing to hit the 100-point mark.

Online sports bets pick: Lakers in five

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Eastern Conference Finals Series Odds and Prediction: Orlando Magic v Cleveland Cavaliers
Magic vs Cavaliers odds: Cavaliers -850

The Cleveland Cavaliers are a huge favorite to win the Eastern Conference Finals but they have a tough foe in front of them: the Orlando Magic.

The Magic won two of three regular season meetings and gave the Cavaliers all they could handle. The playoffs should be a little different because firstly, the Cavaliers should be fresh. The Magic played six games against the 76ers and seven against the Celtics. That’s a total of 13 games while the Cavs have only played eight in that span.

This series figures to be a long one so the Cavaliers should have the edge as the series progresses.

Furthermore, home court advantage should be key as the Cavaliers have an extra game at home. They only lost one game at home this season without LeBron James so if they can protect their court, they’ll advance.

Lastly, the Cavs play better overall defense. The Magic play good defense is spurts but they are as consistent as the Cavs. Those three factors should lead the Cavs to a series win.

Online sports bets pick: Cavaliers in six