Will Magic and Rockets Profit at Home?

Two NBA series are tied at a game a piece and will switch venues for Game 3 of the series. Both Orlando and Houston were surprising opening game winners and both were beaten rather decidedly, at least by the final score of the last contest. Both teams gave the thumbs up in earning a split and will play before the home folks looking to maintain edge they enjoyed by winning on the road. The third game of a series tends to be the most critical; this should be no different Friday night.

Boston at Orlando 7:00 E ESPN

Being an Orlando Magic fan or financial supporter is not easy these days, as it’s become fairly certain, what you are going to get from game to game is unnerving. Since April’s Fools Day appropriately enough, Orlando is 9-8 with a peeked 6-11 spread record. Apologists will talk about lack of incentive, but wouldn’t having home court advantage in this series been worth the fight?

The Philadelphia series was way more challenging than expected, with Orlando players either going thru the motions or more generous than Mickey Mouse handing out treats, as the Magic blew one lead after another.

Orlando has won two of last three games with Dwight Howard not making an offensive impact. He sat out last game in Sixers series due to suspension and has had 16 and 12 points versus a depleted Boston frontline. Howard is not known as a great ball-handler or typically inspired passer. In Game 2 he led the Magic with five turnovers and the only even remotely comfortable looking passes he made were to a teammate’s right in front of him.

Orlando is 34-10 and 24-20 ATS at the Amway Arena and 9-1 ATS on its home floor after a loss by 10 or more points. The Magic will have to bring the passion they lacked in last encounter, as assuredly Boston will bring be mentally ready just like they were in exact same circumstance in last series against Chicago, where they routed the Bulls 107-86 as four point underdogs.

Coach Stan Van Gundy by game time will have talked about the importance of controlling Rajon Rondo, who had triple-double. The Celtics are 12-2 ATS off a home win scoring 110 or more points this season and have vets like Paul Pierce and Ray Allen well-versed in dealing with these exact situations. Van Gundy might have rookie guard Courtney Lee back, who is recovering from a fractured sinus and the rest of the team should be more comfortable at home.

Orlando is a 4.5-point favorite according to DiamondSportsbook.com, with total of 189. The Magic are 26-6 ATS off a road loss and 14-5 UNDER off consecutive road games. Boston is 15-4 ATS as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points over the last two seasons and 12-3 UNDER in road games after a blowout win by 15 points or more.

The road team has covered four of last five meetings.

L.A. Lakers at Houston 9:30 E ESPN

In the fourth quarter of Game 2, TNT analyst Doug Collins said “This much emotion and physical play and its only the second game of the series!” Whatever the Los Angeles Lakers had in mind after breezing thru defenseless Utah, they’ve receiving a barrage reminiscent of Manny Pacquiao from the Houston Rockets.

Houston was the clear aggressor in the first contest and continually took the action to the Lakers, who seldom responded and the Rockets didn’t steal it, they did what Smith Barney used to do – earned it the old fashion way.

That set the table for Lakers to counter-punch (if you will) and their mindset was clearly different. Phil Jackson’s club started fast, but thanks to the hard work of Carl Landry off the bench, Houston caught the Lakers by halftime at 57 a piece. The Lakers went back to getting the ball out on the break and persistently taking it to the rim and reasserted control. The Rockets were plagued by 19 turnovers and let L.A. play their game in the second half.

Though Andrew Bynum was a complete non-factor (nine minutes, three fouls) Houston did a preposterously poor job in getting Yao Ming the ball. No doubt Ming could have been more pugnacious about demanding the ball, since he only had four shot attempts for the game (6 of 7 free throws). The big man was bothered by the quickness of Pau Gasol and must do a better job of keeping him on one hip to secure basketball. The Rockets have rebounded from large losses with 10-2 ATS mark after double digit defeat.

Ron Artest has enjoyed a very good series and been a thorn in the side of the Lakers, he needs to keep his composure (easier said than done) and be able to play the entire game without be asked to depart. Houston is 36-8 at the Toyota Center (21-22-1 ATS) and are 1.5-point underdogs with total of 194.5. This will be just the third time the Rockets will be catching points at home this season, with this being the second time against L.A. It makes sense Kobe Bryant and mates are favored, as they are league best 30-13 (23-19 ATS) as visitors and 8-3-1 ATS in this round of action.

You have to contemplate if the oddsmakers are suggesting Houston is in trouble in Game 3, with the total at the highest level of the series. Since 2005, the Rockets are 3-8 and 2-9 ATS if Los Angeles scores 100 or more points. Houston is 14-6 ATS in underdog role of 4.5 or less points.