Basketball / Nick Shiambouros / 03 June 2009 / 1 Comments

Nick Shiambouros looks at the first game of the final series of the NBA season where Dwight Howard can again have a big say in proceedings.

The Orlando Magic brushed aside the Cleveland Cavaliers with unexpected ease to advance to the NBA finals for the first time since 1995.

There they will play the Los Angeles Lakers who finally got the better of a spirited Denver Nugget team 119-92 last Friday.

Both teams won their series 4-2 to set up what promises to be a very competitive and close battle for the world championship of basketball.

Back in November I advised backing the Magic to win the NBA championship at [38.0] and if I had not traded out a few weeks ago I would be in America now attending the finals. Having said that, the Magic match up very well against the Lakers and are a generous [3.45] to win the title.

The first game of the series takes place on Thursday at the Staples Center and I think the Magic have a real chance of testing the Lakers. Orlando are a much more physical team and the presence of Dwight Howard and Hedu Turkoglu inside could cause real problems for Los Angeles.

The Lakers have Pau Gasol inside, but this player has come up short in critical situations in the past and the Magic will come after him early to get him into foul trouble. If Orlando can withstand the early LA pressure they could cause the upset. Kobe Bryant and the Lakers will have other ideas and will try to gain an early lead and control the game.

My money will be on the Orlando Magic with the handicap (+6.5) in this one as I think it will be a close run affair.

Recommended wagers:

Thursday, back Orlando with +6.5 handicap, back Orlando to win the NBA championship [3.45]