L.A. Lakers at Orlando Magic Betting Odds
Opening Line: Lakers +2.5 / Magic -2.5 O/U 195
Time: 2:30 PM EST Sunday March 7. 2010 on ABC
On Sunday afternoon on national TV the Orlando Magic host the L.A. Lakers. The Lakers are 6-4 in their last 10 games, but they have dropped 2 in a row. They are still in 1st place in the Western Conference, but only have a 4 game lead over the red-hot Dallas Mavericks, who have won 10 straight.
The Magic are on a roll, as they have won 4 straight and are 7-3 in their last 10 games. Orlando is all along in 2nd place in the Eastern Conference trailing the Cleveland Cavaliers by 6 games. In the Magic's winning streak they have only played one team that any shot at making the playoffs and they won every game by at least 10 points.
This season the Magic are 24-6 and at home and 31-28-4 ATS and the Lakers are 17-12 on the road and 26-35-2 ATS.
Both teams played on Friday night, as the Lakers lost to the Charlotte Bobcats 98-83 while the Magic beat the New Jersey Nets 97-87.
Kobe finally snapped out of his shooting slump in the Lakers last game, but as a team they only shot 36.3% from the field in the loss to the Bobcats. Pau Gasol, Ron Artest, and Andrew Bynum struggled big time in the loss combining to shoot only 9/32 from the field.
The Lakers have to hold onto the rock in this game, as in the loss to the Bobcats they committed 20 turnovers.
Both teams are solid on the boards, but even though Dwight Howard (18.7 ppg 13.1 rpg) is the leading rebounder in the league he will need help in this game keeping Pau Gasol (11.1 rpg) and Andrew Bynum (8.3 rpg) off the glass.
Jameer Nelson (12.4 ppg), Vince Carter (16.3 ppg), and Rashard Lewis (15 ppg) have to shoot well from the outside in this game so Howard has room to operate in the lane.
These 2 teams both rank in the top 10 in opponents' points allowed, as the Magic rank 6th (95.5 ppg) and the Lakers rank 8th (96.5 ppg).
L.A. is 1-7-1 ATS in their last 9 games, 0-4 ATS in their last 4 road games, and has an Under record of 7-2 in their last 9 road games.
Orlando is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games, 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games, and has an Under record of 4-0 in their last 4 home games.
L.A. is 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 games against the Magic and in the last 8 games between these 2 teams in Orlando the total has gone Under 6 times.
Our Selection : Orlando has won 4 in a row but all against teams with losing records. Lakers played a sloppy game against the Bobcats on Friday committed 20 turnovers. Look for the Lakers snap out of their mini slump and get a straight up win against the Magic on national TV. Take the Lakers +2.5
Future Betting Odds
NBA Handicapping
Orlando Magic at Boston Celtics 5-28
The Magic have won 2 games in a row in this series and look to tie the series tonight, as the Boston Celtics hosts Orlando in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. The Magic have got back in this series and look to become the first team ever in the NBA to come back from a 3-0 deficit. The Celtics are small 3.5 point favorite at Bodog tonight when they try to close out this series at home.