The Experts Guaranteed Selections
ULTIMATE EXPERTS NBA PLAYOFF LATE STEAM WINNER
Boston +4
Jim Feist
20* Magic/Celtics Under
Game 5s of any series have so much at stake, as does this one. That means intense defense from both sides. For this game, the Magic -- the top ranked defense in the NBA during the regular season in field goal shooting percentage allowed -- must win or they go home. They really picked up the defense in Game 4 to stay alive, disrupting Boston all night. This has been a defensive series, at 4-0 or 3-0-1 under the total. Boston matches up great with Orlando. Their attention to defense in the playoffs has been incredible, wiping out top seeded Cleveland in six games (winning 4 of the final 5) and frustrating the Orlando Magic into 41.6% and 39% shooting in Games 1 and 2 on this floor, and only 71 points in Game 3. Boston matches up so well, with Kendrick Perkins, Rasheed Wallace and Glen Davis three big, physical bodies to harrass Dwight Howard, who has looked frustrated at times. The rest of the Boston strategy is to throw everybody along the perimeter defensively to get a hand in the face of every Orlando player taking a three-pointer, which is their game. Orlando was 5 of 22 from long range in Game 1 and has scored 88, 92, 71 and 96 points in the four games (the last one in OT). The Magic have seldom been able to set the tempo or smoothly execute pick-and-rolls, which has contributed to Rashard Lewis's poor overall play, with Kevin Garnett on him. Doc Rivers said, "Our focus is transition Defense. We don’t want us to think about being an offensive rebounding team, because it would hurt our transition D." Boston is on a 7-2 run under the total, while Orlando is on a 9-2 run under. Plus, orlando struggles from the free throw line, all of which means another defensive battle. Play the Celtics/Magic Game 5 Under the total.
Steam On-Line Guaranteed Selections
***CODE RED NBA PLAYOFF LATE STEAM TOTALS WINNER
Boston and Orlando OVER 186
MARC LAWRENCE
3 UNIT Atlanta Braves
3 UNIT Boston Celtics