Posted on
4/28/2008 2:37:42 PM
NBA Furious Free Picks 2008 – Magic to Drive Raptors to Extinction
By Tim Furious
Toronto Raptors (41-41) vs. Orlando Magic (52-30)
Monday, April 28th --- Amway Arena, Orlando --- 7:30pm EST
Series: Orl 3-1
NBA Betting Line: Orlando -7.5
The Raptors find themselves on the brink of oblivion as they travel to Orlando tonight. Their online basketball betting faithful (yours included) were left distraught on Saturday after the Raptors dropped Game 4 to Orlando and put themselves in a massive hole. Do Chris Bosh, Calderon and Ford have the shovels to dig their way out?
Bosh had a playoff career-high with a line of 39-15, but it was Dwight Howard who rallied with 19-16-8 to steal the spotlight and the victory. Even more discerning for the Raptors betting faithful is that Toronto committed only 9 turnovers on Saturday, in comparison to Orlando’s 15. If Toronto can’t convert mistakes in to leads, then there’s going to be trouble in the Great White North.
Toronto is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games and 1-5 ATS in their last 6 on the road. Essentially, they’re playing just as poorly as they have been all second-half. They’ve had some success against the spread against Orlando, going 10-4 ATS in their last 14 meetings.
But Orlando is 13-5-1 ATS in its last 19 games at home and will be playing in front of a red-hot crowd roaring for blood. Dwight Howard, who has become a ferocious leader on the court and in the locker room, will likely have another monster game but Bosh is stepping up as well to counter the affects of Superman.
The real problem for Orlando - and the solution for Toronto – is running the pick-and-rolls at guard that made them so successful in Game 3. Jose Calderon is a general on the floor, and his insane assist numbers prove it. T.J. Ford is a high-flying scoring machine, who can spell doom if he manages to get some momentum going. The tandem has to be on point though, metaphysically speaking, for the Raptors to find success. If Ford and El Calderon are clicking, then the Magic will be in trouble.
And with a -7.5 handicap for Orlando, that is a likelihood I am willing to bet on. The fever of giving Orlando their first playoff series victory in 12 years will make Orlando a little hot under the collar. The Magic are a young team, you have to remember that. The excitement will be too much for Orlando as Toronto pulls themselves away from the cliffs on the back of their point-guard play.
NBA Furious Free Pick: Toronto +7.5 (OVER)
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