NBA Betting Odds – NBA Finals Game 6

The NBA Finals travel back to Los Angeles for game six between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics. The Lakers are on the brink of elimination and after watching Kobe Bryant’s supporting cast continually come up short in their efforts, we might not see a game seven. However, Lakers fans can look back to the 1994 Houston Rockets and the 1988 Los Angeles Lakers. Both the 88 Lakers and the 94 Rockets won game six and seven of the NBA finals at home after trailing 3-2.

The NBA odds makers like the Lakers chances to extend the series to a game seven as they have Los Angeles as the -6½ point favorites. NBA bettors can make +250 on the moneyline if the Celtics can win the title tonight. The game total is 189 points.  
 
NBA Betting Odds
June 15, 2010
Boston Celtics                    +6½        +250     
Los Angeles Lakers          -6½         -300      
Game Total         189
Location: Staples Center, Los Angeles CA
Game Time: 9:00
TV: ABC

Remember 88 should be the battle cry for the Lakers tonight but much of what happens tonight depends on the Lakers supporting cast. Kobe has been brilliant all series, averaging 30 points a game when nobody else on either team is averaging twenty. The problem is the next six best players on the floor have all been wearing green uniforms.

Kobe’s plea to his team after game five was simply “Just man up and play,’’ he began. “What the hell is the big deal?
“I don’t see it as a big deal. If I have to say something to them, then we don’t deserve to be champions. We’re down 3-2, win one game, go into the next one. Simple as that.”
You can point to Kevin Garnett showing up or Pau Gasol disappearing because the both seemed to occur at the same time.  In addition, Lamar Odom hasn’t been the point scoring rebound grabbing Lamar Odom of the previous series. However, the biggest problem the Lakers are having in the finals is the same problem they had in 2008 against the Celtics; Andrew Bynum isn’t healthy. His knee has been a problem all series but because he is the only player that has the heart to “Just man up and play” he’s out there playing as much as he can.  

Kobe is playing so well and the rest of the Lakers are playing so poorly that there is talk about Kobe joining Jerry West as the only NBA finals MVP to play for the losing team. It’s unlikely to happen if the Celtics can close out the series tonight but if Kobe puts together another dominant performance and the Lakers take it to game seven, Kobe could win the finals MVP regardless of what happens in the final game of the series.

I’m not giving up on the Lakers but admittedly, it doesn’t look good, the Celtics are loose, confident and two chances to close out the series. I think Kobe has one more transcending game in him and we’ll see it tonight, whether it’s enough to win it for the Lakers, I’m not sure.