Celtics vs. Magic Line has Orlando a Huge -10 Point Favorite
Carrie Stroup here and, my how times have changed, with the Celtics vs. Magic line at -10 Orlando. I never thought I would see the Celtics as this big an underdog any time soon. For updated lines on this and all other games be sure to visit Sportsbook.com and start betting online today. Claim up to $250 FREE based on your initial deposit.
Sportsbook.com Line & Total: Orlando -10 & 174.5
Opening Line & Total: Magic -9 & 175.5
The Celtics embarrassed the Magic in Boston on Monday, and they’ll look to do it again when they visit Orlando Thursday night.
On Monday, the Magic scored a franchise-low 56 points against a Celtics team that was without their starting backcourt of Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen, and were coming off a Sunday night road game. Orlando shot 24.6% from the field and turned it over 23 times with only Dwight Howard (18 points on 4-for-15 shooting from the field) scoring more than seven points. It was the Celtics’ third SU win in a row (2-0-1 ATS) over the Magic. A lot of teams that rely heavily on the three-pointer shoot much better in their own building, but that hasn’t been the case for Orlando the past two seasons. They’ve hit 37.4% of their threes on the road, but only 35.6% at Amway Center.
Boston is likely to have Rondo (15.0 PPG, 9.4 APG) back in the lineup after he missed three games with a wrist injury, but Allen (14.9 PPG) is not traveling with the team as he recovers from an ankle injury. They’ll also be without SF Mickael Pietrus (8.7 PPG) and C Jermaine O’Neal (5.6 RPG, 1.4 BPG) is questionable with a knee injury.
The Celtics are 0-4 SU outside of Boston and Washington (where they’ve won twice) this season, but their offense generally hasn’t been the problem. They topped 100 points in New York and Miami early in the year, and they’re shooting 45.0% from three away from home. SF Paul Pierce (16.5 PPG) is starting to heat up a bit, going for 34 points and 10 assists in Washington Sunday, then 19 points and seven assists in Monday’s win over Orlando. And PF Brandon Bass (11.9 PPG, 6.5 RPG) came off the bench to burn his former team for 19 points and eight rebounds in the win over the Magic.
Orlando was obviously burned by an awful shooting night from PF Ryan Anderson (16.8 PPG, 6.9 RPG) in Boston on Monday. Anderson was shut out for the first time this season, missing all eight of his shots. But he bounced back with 24 points on 8-for-14 shooting (5-for-7 from three) in Indiana on Tuesday. The Magic blew the Pacers away, 102-83, and seemed to regain their offensive momentum. Five players scored in double-digits.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (10-7) at LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (9-6)
Sportsbook.com Line & Total: Los Angeles -3.5 & 192.5
Opening Line & Total: Clippers -3.5 & 191.5
The Clippers couldn’t hold on to a fourth quarter lead against the Lakers on Wednesday night, and they’ll be in for a big challenge when they host the Grizzlies on Thursday.
Memphis is well-rested, physically imposing and playing very well of late. The Clippers got to the line just 14 times while sending the Lakers to the free throw stripe 32 times in Wednesday’s 96-91 loss. The Grizzlies will be on the attack. And while the Clippers got some good news with the return of Chris Paul on Wednesday, there’s no telling how his hamstring will react on the back end of a back-to-back.
For the second straight year, the Grizzlies are thriving despite having one of their top players sidelined. PF Zach Randolph hasn’t played since injuring his knee on New Year’s Day, but Memphis is 9-4 SU and 8-5 ATS without him.
SF Rudy Gay (18.4 PPG), C Marc Gasol (14.7 PPG, 10.2 RPG) and PG Mike Conley (13.3 PPG, 7.4 APG) have stepped up as stars in Randolph’s absence. Gay is averaging 20.0 PPG, Gasol 14.8 PPG and 10.6 RPG and Conley 14.5 PPG and 8.0 APG in Randolph’s absence. They’ve also had the two-guard platoon of Tony Allen (9.6 PPG) and O.J. Mayo (11.8 PPG) average a combined 24.6 PPG on 49.0% shooting from the field since Randolph went down.
Paul (16.6 PPG, 8.8 APG) had just four points but added 12 assists and no turnovers over 27 minutes of action after missing five games. But backcourt mate Chauncey Billups (15.3 PPG, 33% FG) continued his ice-cold shooting, going 1-for-8 from the field. He’s missed 16 of his last 18 shots since hitting a 29-footer on Jan. 20.
PF Blake Griffin (21.3 PPG, 11.3 RPG) continued to carry their frontcourt, scoring 26 on 13-for-22 shooting against the Lakers, and Caron Butler (14.9 PPG) had one of his best games as a Clipper, scoring 16 and shooting 4-for-8 from behind the arc.
But sloppy defense continues to be the problem for L.A. After allowing the Lakers to shoot 32 free throws on Thursday, they’re now allowing the third-most trips to the line in the NBA (26.7 attempts per game).
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
