Basketball 
/ Nick Shiambouros / 11 February 2011 / Leave a Comment 
Record-breaker Ray Allen will need to be at his best to stop Miami
"LeBron James and company are beginning to fire on all cylinders and this could spell real trouble for Boston."
The Celtics needs to produce something special if they're to avoid a third consecutive defeat. Meanwhile, can LA keep their run going against the Magic? Nick Shiambouros selects the best bets on a weekend of big matches.
The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Boston Celtics 92-86 at the TD Garden on Thursday night.
The Lakers did not start well and went in to the locker room trailing by eight points after a lack lustre first half performance. At the start of the second half Kobe Bryant elevated his game for Los Angeles and began to hurt Boston inside the painted area. Helped by some inspired play from the superstar guard, the Lakers took the lead in the third quarter and held the Celtics at bay for an impressive victory.
It was an emotional night for Ray Allen who became the NBA's career leader in three point shots after passing Reggie Miller's record of 2,560 in the first quarter. The Boston faithful gave Allen an extended standing ovation after he made the record breaking shot.
Earlier on Thursday the basketball world was shocked to hear the news that Utah head coach Jerry Sloan had resigned after 23 seasons with the Jazz. It has been rumoured that Sloan clashed with point guard Deron Williams during Wednesday night's loss to Chicago and decided to call it a day after the incident.
Jerry Sloan was the longest serving coach in American professional sports and will be sorely missed. He never managed to win an NBA championship but won an incredible 1,221 games during his career. Assistant coach Ty Corbin will take over as head coach as a new chapter in Utah begins.
There are a couple of very important games taking place on this final weekend before the All-Star break next week.
On Sunday, the Boston Celtics play host to the Miami Heat in a nationally televised game. This is without doubt the game of the week and it promises to be a classic.
The teams are tied at the top of the Eastern Conference with a record of 38-14. The Celtics have lost two games in a row and have been hit with a spate of recent injuries to some important bench players.
Both Jermaine O'Neal and Shaquille O'Neal will be out of action for several weeks and Delonte West may not return until after the All-Star break. The Miami Heat come in to this game in sparkling form. They are currently riding a seven game winning streak and are playing at a very high level.
LeBron James and company are beginning to fire on all cylinders and this could spell real trouble for Boston.
The Celtics are good enough to beat most teams with a short-handed roster but I think they will struggle against Miami. The Heat will be very difficult to beat and they are my best bet of the week. They should be priced at around [1.9] with the advertised handicap.
Later on Sunday, the Orlando Magic host the Los Angeles Lakers in another nationally televised game between two elite teams. The Magic are fifth in the Eastern Conference with a record of 34-20.
Orlando has not played with a great deal of intensity in the past few weeks which is a huge concern. Dwight Howard and company will need to play at their very best if they are to trouble the defending NBA champions.
The Lakers appear to have turned things around after a poor start to the season. They are only 7.5 games behind San Antonio in the Western Conference and are playing at a very high level. My money is on them to win this fascinating encounter. They are coming good at the right time, Kobe Bryant lives for moments like these and he will give Orlando all they can handle in the paint. The Lakers are [2.02] in the match odds which is more than fair in my opinion.
Recommended bets:
Sunday back Miami with the advertised handicap at [1.9] v Boston
Sunday back Los Angeles at [2.02] in the match odds market v Orlando
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