Jeff Benton
Orlando at BOSTON -3
For Sunday’s Bonus Play, we’ll take the Celtics in a win-or-go-home Game 7 against the Magic from Boston.
32-0. That’s the Boston Celtics’ record in playoff matchups in which they’ve had a 3-2 series lead. Kind of hard to argue with perfection, isn’t it? In addition, the NBA’s most storied franchise has hosted a Game 7 on 17 previous occasions … and it won 14 times. Not exactly perfection, but pretty-damn close. That 14-3 mark at home includes a trio of Game 7 wins just since last spring. Boston beat the Hawks in Game 7 of the opening round last year; then it knocked off Cleveland in Game 7 of the conference semifinals; then just two weeks ago, the C’s eliminated the Bulls in Game 7 at the Garden.
What’s more, if you want to take it a step further, Boston has hosted an elimination game four times since last spring, beating the Hawks by 34 points, the Cavs by five points, the Lakers in Game 6 of the NBA Finals by 39 points and the Bulls two weeks ago by 10 points, going 3-1 ATS.
Now, I’m the first to admit that Orlando should’ve closed out this series two games ago. The Magic suffered a buzzer-beating one-point home loss to Boston in Game 4, then blew a double-digit fourth-quarter lead in Beantown in Game 5. Win those two contests, and this series would be over. But the fact is, the Magic didn’t win those games, and they didn’t win them because they’ve lacked a killer instinct pretty much this entire postseason. And even though there’s little question that Orlando is the better, healthier all-around team, I do not trust this soft squad to take down the defending champs on the road in an elimination situation.
Bottom line: The Celtics have had numerous opportunities to throw in the towel this postseason, especially without their best player (Kevin Garnett) available. But they not only have refused to do that, they’ve ratcheted up their play every time they’ve had their backs against the wall, exhibiting the kind of physical and mental toughness that champions are made of. In the end, to get a team with this kind of heart, at home, in Game 7, at this cheap of a price, is too good to pass up. Lay the couple of points with the Celtics.
5? BOSTON