Magic vs. Celtics Spread had Boston as -5 Point Favorite

Carrie Stroup here with your Magic vs. Celtics spread, which was coming in at Boston -5.  I also have a betting preview for the Lakers-Warriors game later tonight.  All odds courtesy of Sportsbook.com, where you can receive up to $250 in FREE CASH when you join here today Let’s get started…

Sportsbook.com Line & Total: Boston -5 & 179.5

Opening Line & Total: Celtics -5 & 179

Boston has a chance to add to its winning streak over Orlando when the short-handed Magic come to town on Wednesday night.

The Celtics have beaten Orlando four straight times SU overall (3-0-1 ATS), and four straight times SU in Boston (3-0-1 ATS), and the Magic will again be without Dwight Howard. Orlando remains dangerous because of its three-point shooting—hitting 11-of-18 in a win over Philadelphia on Monday—but Boston defends the three-point line better than any team in the NBA (30.6%). The Celtics are 9-1 SU and 8-2 ATS at home since March 1, and during that time opponents have just 86.5 PPG on 39.9% FG (25.9% from three) in the TD Garden. Over the past two seasons, the Magic have shot 36.6% FG and 30.1% from three against the Celtics, including 35.3% and 26.9% in Boston. Even though the Celtics are coming off a Tuesday loss in New York, they match up very well with Orlando.

The Celtics could once again be without SG Ray Allen (14.2 PPG, 45.3% from three), who has missed their past five games because of an ankle injury, but their perimeter play has been excellent even without him. Starting in his spot, SG Avery Bradley (6.9 PPG) had 17 points on just nine field-goal attempts thanks to 5-for-6 shooting from three in Tuesday’s 118-110 loss at New York. Bradley is averaging 18.0 PPG on 56.9% FG and 71.4% from three-point range over the past four games.

Returning to the lineup after missing Sunday’s win at Charlotte with a minor toe injury, SF Paul Pierce (19.5 PPG) lit up the Knicks for 43 points on 11-for-19 FG. And with 13 points and 13 assists on Tuesday, PG Rajon Rondo (12.1 PPG, 11.6 APG) now has double-digit assists in 23 straight games. Continuing to play center, PF Kevin Garnett (16.0 PPG on 50.8% FG, 8.3 RPG) hasn’t been too shabby himself. He had 20 points on Tuesday and has gone for 20-plus in five of his past six games, while grabbing 9.0 RPG in this span as well.

The Magic will be without Howard (20.6 PPG on 57.3% FG, 49.1% FT, 14.5 RPG) again on Wednesday as he nurses a back injury, and could be without PF Glen Davis (8.9 PPG, 5.4 RPG), who’s dealing with a knee injury. They had neither of them in Monday’s win over Philadelphia, forcing them to start seldom-used C Daniel Orton (2.1 PPG). Orton made a minimal impact on Monday, scoring six points and grabbing six rebounds. But the Magic won 113-100 because they shot the lights out.

PF Ryan Anderson (15.8 PPG, 40.1% from three, 7.6 RPG) scored 26 points on 11-for-16 FG and 2-for-2 from three, SG J.J. Redick (11.2 PPG, 41.5% from three) had 18 points on 8-for-16 FG and 2-for-4 from three, and SG Jason Richardson (11.4 PPG) added 16 on 6-for-10 FG and 2-for-3 from three. PG Jameer Nelson (11.7 PPG, 5.6 APG) had 16 points and 13 assists. But the surprise performance came from PF Earl Clark (2.5 PPG), who had 14 points, tying a career-high, and a career-high 11 rebounds off the bench for his first career double-double.

Anderson’s performance was especially encouraging considering he had shot 7-for-33 (21.2%) from the field and 2-for-19 (10.5%) from three over his previous three games. Howard has missed seven games in April, in which the Magic are 3-4 SU and ATS.

LOS ANGELES LAKERS (39-23) at GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (22-38)

Sportsbook.com Line & Total: Lakers -6.5 & 203.5

Opening Line & Total: Lakers -6.5 & 204.5

With Kobe Bryant likely sidelined again, the Warriors have a chance to hang with the Lakers again when they host L.A. on Wednesday night.

Even though the Lakers have beaten Golden State SU in 15 of their past 16 meetings, the Warriors have covered in each of their past five matchups, as well as the last four played in Oakland. While the Warriors have dropped five in a row SU (1-4 ATS), including a blowout home loss to San Antonio on Monday, the Lakers have had issues on the road all season and will likely be without superstar Bryant (shin) again. They’re 14-16 SU and 10-19-1 ATS in road games this year, and the fact that they lost handily at home against the Spurs on Tuesday is another worry; the Lakers are 5-9 SU and ATS when playing the second game of a back-to-back on the road.

Bryant has missed the Lakers’ past six games with L.A. going 4-2 SU (3-3 ATS) in those half-dozen contests. He had been unstoppable against the Warriors this year, averaging 36.3 PPG. In their last meeting in L.A. on April 1, Bryant had 40 points on 16-for-28 shooting from the field.

The Lakers were blown out at home by the Spurs on Tuesday, 112-91. Not surprisingly, it’s been PF Pau Gasol (17.4 PPG on 50.5% FG, 10.4 RPG) and C Andrew Bynum (18.7 PPG on 55.7% FG, 12.1 RPG) picking up the offensive slack for the NBA’s scoring leader. Gasol has averaged 21.0 PPG and 10.0 RPG during Bryant’s six-game absence, and Bynum has averaged 21.8 PPG, but on just 42.3% FG, and 15.0 RPG.

But L.A. has gotten some nice contributions from role players as well. SF Metta World Peace (7.3 PPG on 38.9% FG) has been on a surprising hot streak, averaging 17.0 PPG on 51.1% FG over the past seven games. SF Matt Barnes (7.8 PPG) has come off the bench to average 16.0 PPG on 64.9% FG, including a scorching 11-for-17 (64.7%) from three, over his past four games, and PG Ramon Sessions (11.4 PPG with L.A. and Cleveland) has scored 12.8 PPG on 50.0% FG and hit 5-of-9 from three in six games without Bryant.

The Warriors have certainly hit a rough patch, mostly due to atrocious defense. Golden State has allowed at least 112 points in each of its past five games for an average of 117.0 PPG (49.0% FG). The Warriors have also committed 23.8 fouls per game over the past five, including 31 during Monday’s loss to the Spurs. They’ve also lost PF David Lee (20.1 PPG on 50.3% FG, 9.6 RPG) for the season due to a groin injury, though his shortcomings on the defensive end often make him a liability against big frontlines like L.A.’s. Lee had 27 points in the teams’ last meeting but shot just 10-for-25 from the field and struggled defensively all night, posting a plus/minus of -7.

The Warriors are still getting it done offensively though. They’ve averaged 100.0 PPG and hit 45.5% of their threes during their five-game slide. Rookie SG Klay Thompson (11.8 PPG, 43.4% from three) and sixth man Nate Robinson (11.2 PPG) have really lit it up of late, with Thompson averaging 20.6 PPG on 51.4% FG and 55.3% from three over the past six games, and Robinson adding 20.6 PPG on 55.6% FG and 48.1% from three over the past five, including a 30-point outburst on Monday.

- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter