World Cup betting players who are going with Spain will be hoping that the soccer team was watching countryman Pau Gasol, who had a huge performance in the Los Angeles Lakers' Game 1 romp over Boston. Can the Celtics fight back in Game 2 on Sunday?
Celtics Lakers Betting – Sunday, June 6, 8:00 PM ET
Gasol was at the heart of the Lakers' own "Big Three" of the Spaniard, Kobe Bryant and Ron Artest in a 102-89 win on Thursday, and the Lakers led by as much as 20 points. Gasol had 23 points and 14 boards, while Bryant dropped a game-high 30 points, along with seven boards and six assists. Artest added 15 points, and brought his tough defense to Paul Pierce's face all night long. The Lakers were efficient, shooting 48.7% from the field, and led by Gasol, they outrebounded the Celtics 42-31. Many thought the Lakers were soft in 2008, but it was mostly directed at Gasol. He was aggressive on Thursday, and he'll have to carry that throughout the series.
Pierce led the Celtics with 24 points, while Kevin Garnett chipped with 16 for the Celtics, who shot 43.3% from the field and made just one of their 10 three-point attempts. Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen to shoot 9-of-22, while Rondo added eight assists and six rebounds, but he was 1-of-4 at the line. The Celtics lost in the third quarter, where they were outscored 34-23, and they were outworked by the Lakers all game, which is a rare thing with this Boston team. It may have been the fact that they were on the road, where they are now 5-4 in these playoffs, but they're going to have to match the Lakers' energy if they're going to earn a split in Tinseltown.
NBA betting odds have the Lakers as a 6-point favorite in Game 2, and the Lakers won all of their individual matchups on the floor. Even Andrew Bynum was effective with 10 points and six boards in 28 minutes, but Gasol was a horse, logging 47 minutes, and he created space for Bynum to operate in, often finding him on cuts. If there was a negative, it was a poor showing by Lamar Odom, who had five points and four boards in 21 minutes. As for the Celtics, Rondo didn't look himself and couldn't handle Derek Fisher on either end of the floor, and Boston needs him to get into the lane. But the big men, Garnett and Kendrick Perkins, didn't know what to do with their Los Angeles counterparts, and Garnett in particular is going to have to keep Gasol contained if the Celtics are going to have any chance of keeping this game under control.
Betting pick: Lakers -6
