Five reasons why the Orlando Magic will win the NBA title

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The LA Lakers are comfortably the best franchise going when it comes to reaching Finals but they are also unrivalled at losing them. This is only Orlando’s second Finals appearance but here are five reasons why they are worth backing at 12/5 on Betfair:

1. The Lakers have lost 15 NBA Finals - the most defeats anyone else has endured is six - including each of their last two.

2. Their most recent Finals failure came last year and no losing finalist has bounced back to win the next year since 1989. Only two Western Conference teams have bounced back in the last 50 years - most recently in 1985.

Posted: June 3rd, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Six reasons why the Cardinals will win the Super Bowl

The underdogs are 3.3 to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers on Betfair

Photo Credit: Ross D. Franklin, AP Photo

The Pittsburgh Steelers [1.43] are clear favourites to win their sixth Super Bowl against first-time challengers the Arizona Cardinals. However, here’s why the Cardinals will become the latest outsiders to triumph:

1. In each of the last three seasons, the team who won fewer regular season games triumphed at the Super Bowl. This year the Cardinals won nine to the Steelers’ twelve.

2. Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt worked for the Steelers behind 2001 and 2006 so his insider knowledge of their set-up could prove pivotal. Six years ago the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Oakland Raiders, who their coach Jon Gruden had left at the start of the season.

3. The two sides last met in September 2007 shortly after Whisenhunt has taken charge of the Cardinals, who picked up a surprise 21-14 win. The Steelers had gone into that match with a 3-0 record.

Posted: January 29th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment