In a rematch of last season’s NBA Finals, the Los Angeles Lakers visit Boston to take on the defending champion Celtics.  The Celtics had a 19-game winning streak stopped by the Lakers on Christmas day when the Lakers won 92-83.  Now the Celtics have won 12 in a row and face a tough squad to push it to 13.  This will be Los Angeles’ first time back to Boston since the finals last year when Boston won at home in game 6.  Game 6 was an embarrassing blow-out loss that the Lakers have not soon forgotten.  That game was a major motivating factor for the Lakers victory on Christmas day to snap the streak, and with another streak on the line and game 6 looming in the back of the players’ minds, expect a fiercely competitive game tonight. 

Kobe Bryant has been playing ridiculously well the past couple of games.  After star center Andrew Bynum went down with a knee injury several games ago, critics and media started questioning the Lakers ability to get the job done against tough opponents.  No doubt Kobe took this personally since he has been killing himself trying to win a championship without Shaq to solidify Kobe’s legacy.  And that critique has been bad news for opponents of the Lakers since the injury to Bynum.  In his first statement game, Kobe dropped a Madison Square Garden record 61 points on the Knicks.  He followed that game up with a 36 point effort last night against the Toronto Raptors.  If there is one thing that Kobe Bryant has proved time and time again, it is that he is the premier big-game player in the association.  No one else steps up to meet the challenge like Kobe does.  He is saying all the right things going into tonight’s game, “When you play the champs it’s always a measuring stick to see where you’re at” Kobe said.  And when you play Kobe, it’s always a good measuring stick to see where your defence is at.

Boston has moved to the top of the table thanks to this 12-game win streak, and is an unconscious 24-2 at home.  Perennial All-Star Kevin Garnett is expected back from missing several games with the flu; therefore, the energy level of the Celtics will be through the roof in this sexy, media-friendly match-up.  The BetUS sportsbook has the Boston Celtics as a 7 point favourite, and although they are playing the best in the NBA right now, that is just too big of a spread against the Lakers coming in with a chip on their shoulder.  Lakers have won 4 in a row, and 8 of 10 games, and will bring all they have against the champs.  Look for this to be a statement game by both sides, and it will come down to the wire, perhaps a last team with possession wins.

NBA free pick: BetUS Sportsbook Los Angeles Lakers (+7.0)