NBA Odds – Celtics Look to Bounce Back as Basketball Betting Faves

The Boston Celtics have their backs against the wall while the Los Angeles Lakers will look to push them further into that wall, maybe even to the other side, when the NBA Finals resumes with Game 4 on Thursday night.

The Celtics are the favorites in the NBA sportsbook to beat the Los Angeles Lakers, but L.A. isn’t going to lie down for the Men in Green.

The Lakers have re-discovered their inside game after out-rebounding the Celtics 43 to 35 in Game 3. In Game 2, the Celtics out-rebounded the Lakers 44 to 39 on their way to a 103 to 94 victory.

So, who gets the boards in Game 4?

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics

• Where: TD Garden, Boston, MA
• When: June 10th, 2010 at 9:00 pm EST
• TV: ABC

NBA Betting Odds

Los Angeles Lakers +3 ½ -110 +150

Boston Celtics -3 ½ -110 -170

History is not on Boston’s side regarding this series. It’s important to make a note of that before moving forward.

The basketball betting trends say that either team can with this game against the spread, but when it comes to history, Boston is in trouble in this series. Since going to a 2-3-2 format, 10 times a series has been tied 1-1 after Game 2.

In all 10, the team that has won Game 3 has gone on to win the series and the championship.

Now, when it comes to this game, recent history is on Boston’s side. After suffering a 124 to 95 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Boston Celtics dominated the Cavs by winning 3 games in a row.

The Celtics won because of their defense. They shut down the Cavs’ inside game and kept LeBron James from scoring like mad. Can they do the same to the Lakers in Game 4 of this series on Thursday night?

They’re going to have to, aren’t they? The Lakers’ Game 3 victory can be attributed to three things: Doc Rivers’ ridiculously awful coaching move in the 1st half, the Lakers’ dominating the boards, and Derek Fisher.

If Doc Rivers’ hadn’t pulled Kevin Garnett (and Rajon Rondo…this must be noted!) for that long stretch in the 1st quarter, the Boston Celtics may have been able to not only keep from being down by 9 points going into the 2nd quarter, but may have actually garnered a lead.

If the Celtics had spent more time pulling down rebounds like they did in Game 2 instead of watching the Lakers crash the boards, they might have won the game.

Rebounding appears to be the key in this series. The team that leads in the rebounding category wins the game.

Finally, if the Celtics had concentrated on defending Derek Fisher…well, they didn’t, did they? Fish scored 11 points in the 4th quarter of Game 3.

There are a few things that Boston will need to do in order to turn it around in Game 4: keep Rondo in the game as long as possible, push the ball more, reset after grabbing the offensive rebound and hit their free throws.

Finally, both Paul Pierce and Ray Allen need to hit outside shots.

Will Boston be able to do all of this in Game 4 on Thursday night? Yes. Why? Because they have to.

If they don’t, expect extreme embarrassment to rain down upon Boston G.M. Danny Ainge. I expect the Celtics to cover the basketball betting spread in Game 4.

They’re my pick.

NBA Sportsbook Pick: Boston Celtics -3 ½