The Orlando Magic is one of the best teams in the NBA betting action and for any sports betting fan that needs reminded of that –which is many- you need only reference the Game 1 beat down that this team laid on the Atlanta Hawks. Granted the Hawks are one of the most up and down teams in the NBA playoff betting action, but still a 43-point margin of victory in the NBA postseason betting is ridiculous.
The Magic took the Hawks behind the woodshed and had their way with them. And it’s not as if Atlanta is a pushover either. The Hawks finished the regular season basketball odds action with the third best record in the Eastern Conference (53-29), even better than the much vaunted Celtics. But in Game 1 the Magic made them look like the Washington General.
Granted the Hawks played especially poor and the Celtics played especially good, but there is little reason to believe after a lop-sided win like that that the Hawks will advance past in this best of seven basketball betting series. The Magic played its first round series in the NBA betting playoff virtually without the services of superstar Dwight Howard and still swept the Bobcats out of the NBA playoff betting action.
In Game 1 Howard put up his average numbers (21 points, 12 rebounds) and the Magic soared. The Hawks have capable big men and should be able to slow Howard, somewhat, in the coming playoff betting action, but the team’s backcourt and battery of wing players have no hope against Jameer Nelson, Rashard Lewis and Co. The Magic are simply better at almost every position on the court and have more depth.
The Magic also seem to be an especially adept at exposing the Hawks weaknesses and this is simply a very poor basketball betting matchup for Atlanta all the way around. The Magic should Game 2 at home, although this will certainly be a much closer NBA betting matchup than Game 1. Game 3 will see the series move to Atlanta and the Hawks have been one of the best home teams in the NBA odds action this year (34-7). But the Magic have yet to lose on the road in the NBA playoff betting action this year and even if they drop Game 3 they’ll likely win Game 4 and wind this series up in five games.
