The Boston Celtics are slightly favored in basketball finals betting on Thursday in Game 4 of the NBA Finals. The NBA Finals go in a 2-3-2 format so Game 5 will also be in Boston before the series returns to Los Angeles for Games 6 and if necessary, Game 7. The home team has been favored in NBA betting in every game in this series and that should continue to be the case.
Basketball Finals betting has gone back and forth in this series. The Lakers opened up as a big favorite to win the series but then Boston won Game 2 and got back into it. Rarely has a team won all three games at home in the NBA Finals since the 2-3-2 format really hurts the team with three straight home games. The Celtics won Game 2 on the road though so they just need to win two of three to force the series back to Los Angeles.
The Celtics were not a good home team during the regular season but in the playoffs they have been very good. The key for Boston in this series has been the play of Rajon Rondo. When he dominates a game as he did in Game 2, the Celtics can win. If the Lakers keep him under control then their chances of winning go up substantially.
The Lakers have been a pretty good team as an underdog. Before Tuesday’s game they were 4-1 ATS in their last 5 playoff games as an underdog. On the other side in basketball finals betting, the Celtics have been a good favorite lately. Before Tuesday’s action they were 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games as a favorite. This series between the Lakers and Celtics has gone to the underdog in terms of the pointspread more often than not. The road team has also done well in the series. Before Tuesday’s Game 3, the Lakers were just 1-4-1 vs. the NBA betting odds in the last 6 meetings in Boston.
It is tough to figure the total in basketball finals betting. The Lakers had gone over in six of their last nine road games before Tuesday’s action. The Celtics though had gone under in four of their last five home games.