The sleeper team this NBA playoff wagering season is without a doubt the Orlando Magic. With only win away from returning to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1995, the Magic are poised to make their backers very happy.
 
Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals is set for tonight at 8:35 PM EST and can be viewed on live on TNT. The Orlando Magic will try and take out the Cleveland Cavaliers after another thrilling 116-114 overtime win on Tuesday. Dwight Howard scored 27 points, 10 in overtime, to lead the Magic past LeBron James and the Cavaliers. "We’re up 3-1, but we can’t relax," Orlando’s Rashard Lewis said, "Anything can happen. We got to go to Cleveland looking to try and close these guys out." The Magic have already proven they can win on the road in the playoffs as they eliminated the Celtics in Game 7 in the last round and they nearly took both of the first two games in Cleveland in this series. SBG Global Sportsbook reports that the early NBA betting action has the public taking Orlando on the road as a +7.5 underdog with a 190 total.

The Cavaliers are likely to be very inspired to extend the series on Thursday. Cleveland had the best home record in the NBA this season and it is unlikely that LeBron James will go quietly. He is averaging 42.3 points, 7.3 rebound and 7.3 assists in the series. "I’m up for the challenge," James said. "And I think my play, my leadership has spoke for that. So I will be ready, and I think our guys will be ready also."

The Magic are well aware that this series if far from over. "This thing is a long, long, long way from over, just like the games in this series have been," Orlando head coach Stan Van Gundy said, "When you’ve got a guy as great as him on the other side, you’re a long way from done."

History is on Orlando’s side though. A total of 190 teams have taken a 3-1 series lead and only eight of them have lost. The other main problem for Cleveland is that they simply don’t matchup well with Orlando. The Magic have won 10 of the past 14 games against Cleveland.

Take a look at NBA wagering stats for Thursday’s game. The Magic are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 playoff games as an underdog. The Magic are 7-0 ATS in the last 7 meetings in Cleveland. The Cavaliers are 14-4-1 ATS in their last 19 playoff games as a favorite. The Cavaliers are 36-16 ATS in their last 52 games as a home favorite. The Under is 23-11 in Orlando’s last 34 overall. The Over is 6-1 in the Cavaliers last 7 Conference Finals games. The Under is 14-6-1 in the Cavaliers last 21 games as a home favorite. The Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings between the two teams.

Game two of the Western Conference finals has arrived and yesterday during the off day, you would think the finals should have centered around how the Denver Nuggets almost upset the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 (a 105-103 Nuggets loss in which Denver covered at +7), but everyone seemed to be talking about was the Game 4 scheduling conflict at the Pepsi Center between the WWE and the Nuggets’ owner, Kroenke Sports. As it turns out, the Rasslers will head to the STAPLES Center in L.A., so take that Kroenke. Who double-books an arena anyways?

With the WWE-Nuggets battle settled, the focus can return to the battle between the Lakers and the Nuggets. Before Game 4 can even take place, Games 2 and 3 must be played. Game 2 takes place at the new site of Monday Night Raw, that would be the STAPLES Center. The line at Sportsbook.com has the Lakers a 5.5-point favorite with a 211-point over.

The Lakers are 9-4 straight up in the playoffs but haven’t been profitable for their backers, with only a 6-7 ATS mark. Worth noting is that Lakers have posted five straight unders in their last five post-season starts.

The Denver Nuggets have been hot in their last 20 games going 15-5 SU and 15-4-1 ATS and have been, pardon the pun, gold in the 2009 playoffs going 10-0-1 ATS. Facing the Lakers, Denver has struggled, Game 1 aside, as they are only 6-14 ATS the last 20 times they’ve played LA. Again, looking at the Under these two have stayed Under the number in nine of their last 11 meetings.

Although Denver was able to cover in its Game 1 road tilt against the Lakers, it failed to do so in the six road games previous against the purple and gold and in its last 20 games at the STAPLES Center is 5-15 ATS.

The battle between the Nuggets and the WWE is over, but the bigger battle goes tonight, as Denver tries to steal a road game from Kobe and crew. Sportsbook.com is reporting 61% of the betting action coming in on the home side Lakers for Game 2. It should be another great game.

2009 NBA Playoffs: Wagering Odds on Orlando Magic vs Cleveland Cavaliers Conference Finals.