The Los Angeles Lakers can return to the NBA Finals for the first time in four years with a home win over the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs tonight and get at least an extra days' rest over the East champ if they finish tonight - L.A. is an 8-point betting favorite (over/under: 193.5) on WagerWeb.com to do so.
The Lakers lead the Spurs 3-1 in the best-of-seven estern Conference finals, and can put them away at taples Center, where they own a 7-0 record (and have on 13 in a row at home including the regular season) n the playoffs and haven't lost since March 28.
And San Antonio has to shake off that controversial nding to Game 4, where Brent Barry was clearly fouled by Derek Fisher on a last-second shot. The NBA agreed, saying the refs should have called a two-shot foul. Barry, being a stellar free-throw shooter, thus likely would have tied the game if put on the line for two.
"With the benefit of instant replay, it appears a foul should have been called," NBA spokesman Tim Frank aid.
For Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, it's a dead issue, overshadowed by the specter of elimination.
"It's a tough loss. . . . The players and the coaches are human," he said. "We have to focus [on the] next ame in hopes that we can win that game and survive. . . . If you don't let it go, you can't focus on the ask at hand."Still, the Lakers could probably question the refs as well, as Kobe Bryant did not get to the foul line once n Tuesday despite taking 29 shots - he made 14 of them and scored 28 points.
Bryant has only six free throws in four games against San Antonio, paltry numbers compared to the 96 free throws he shot in six games against Utah.
"That's one of the mysteries of the world," he joked.
If you want to assign blame as to why the champs are in this 3-1 hole, look no farther than Manu Ginobili.
The NBA's sixth man of the year shot 9-for-15 and scored 30 points in San Antonio's 103-84 victory in Game 3, but went a combined 7-for-29 for a total of 24 points in the other three games -- all losses.
Plus, former playoff star Robert Horry has been missing in action. Horry scored his first and only points against the Lakers on a pair of free throws Tuesday. He missed his only two shots from the field, leaving him 0 for 9 for the series.
He is 37 years old and did have a recent procedure on his knee, for what that's worth.
"I'm fine. I can't blame anything on the knee," Horry said.
The Lakers expect the Spurs' best tonight: "That's a team with a lot of experience and pride," Luke Walton said. "They're not going to lie down."
The Spurs have never come back from a 3-1 deficit in their history, going 0-6 when trailing in such best-of-seven series.
Betting trends: Spurs are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS loss. . Lakers are 10-2-1 ATS in their last 13 games following a S.U. win. . Under is 7-0 in Spurs' last 7 overall. . Under is 7-1 in Lakers' last 8 games following an ATS win.
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