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Lakers begin 7-game road trip in New Orleans
LOS ANGELES LAKERS (34-16)
at NEW ORLEANS HORNETS (32-19)
Tip-off: Saturday, 8:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Lakers -3.5 Total: 188
The defending champion Lakers start a seven-game road trip with a visit to New Orleans to take on the Hornets.
Since winning seven straight games, the Lakers have lost five of nine, including dropping three of their past four home games on their just concluded five-game homestand. They are one of the worst teams ATS in the NBA this season posting a 21-29 record, which includes losing their past four games. They are 11-12 ATS on the road where they have lost four of five, and five of their past seven ATS. The Lakers lost a heartbreaker on Thursday when Antonio McDyess tipped in an offensive rebound at the buzzer to give the Spurs an 88-87 win. Poor shooting has handcuffed the Lakers over their past three losses, as they are making just 42.7 percent of their shots over that span, which includes shooting a season-worst 2-for-14 from three-point range against San Antonio. Kobe Bryant is coming of an awful 5-for-18 performance scoring just 16 points against the Spurs. This was on the heels of averaging 37.0 PPG over his previous three games. After scoring 19 points in a win at Denver, Ron Artest has averaged just 7.2 PPG over his past five games while shooting 36.8 percent from the field.
The Hornets enter Saturday having lost three of their past four games after a 10-game winning streak. They are 26-23 ATS this season, but have dropped four in a row and five of their past six ATS. At home, they are 13-12 ATS, but have lost two straight and four of their past five. New Orleans has won six straight and 11-of-13 SU at home, but will be without Emeka Okafor (oblique strain) and Trevor Ariza (sprained ankle). The Hornets are coming off a 104-93 loss at Oklahoma City where Kevin Durant scored 43 points.
The Hornets are allowing just 87.0 PPG and a 43.1 FG Pct. during their six-game home win streak, but the Lakers have shot the ball well against the Hornets this season, combining to shoot 54.4% in their two wins over New Orleans. Lamar Odom has averaged 20.5 PPG while making 60 percent of his FG attempts against them this season. I’m taking Los Angeles minus the points.
The FoxSheets give two more reasons to side with the Lakers:
NEW ORLEANS is 36-57 ATS (38.7%, -26.7 Units) versus good 3-point shooting teams - making >=36% of their attempts over the last 3 seasons. The average score was NEW ORLEANS 95.0, OPPONENT 98.6 - (Rating = 1*).
NEW ORLEANS is 2-12 ATS (14.3%, -11.2 Units) in home games after a game committing 8 or less turnovers over the last 3 seasons. The average score was NEW ORLEANS 93.7, OPPONENT 95.3 - (Rating = 1*).
The FoxSheets also provide a five-star special urging bettors to take the Under.
NEW ORLEANS is 14-1 UNDER (+12.9 Units) after failing to cover 4 or 5 of their last 6 against the spread this season. The average score was NEW ORLEANS 90.1, OPPONENT 92.3 - (Rating = 5*).
LOS ANGELES LAKERS (34-16)
at NEW ORLEANS HORNETS (32-19)
Tip-off: Saturday, 8:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Lakers -3.5 Total: 188
The defending champion Lakers start a seven-game road trip with a visit to New Orleans to take on the Hornets.
Since winning seven straight games, the Lakers have lost five of nine, including dropping three of their past four home games on their just concluded five-game homestand. They are one of the worst teams ATS in the NBA this season posting a 21-29 record, which includes losing their past four games. They are 11-12 ATS on the road where they have lost four of five, and five of their past seven ATS. The Lakers lost a heartbreaker on Thursday when Antonio McDyess tipped in an offensive rebound at the buzzer to give the Spurs an 88-87 win. Poor shooting has handcuffed the Lakers over their past three losses, as they are making just 42.7 percent of their shots over that span, which includes shooting a season-worst 2-for-14 from three-point range against San Antonio. Kobe Bryant is coming of an awful 5-for-18 performance scoring just 16 points against the Spurs. This was on the heels of averaging 37.0 PPG over his previous three games. After scoring 19 points in a win at Denver, Ron Artest has averaged just 7.2 PPG over his past five games while shooting 36.8 percent from the field.
The Hornets enter Saturday having lost three of their past four games after a 10-game winning streak. They are 26-23 ATS this season, but have dropped four in a row and five of their past six ATS. At home, they are 13-12 ATS, but have lost two straight and four of their past five. New Orleans has won six straight and 11-of-13 SU at home, but will be without Emeka Okafor (oblique strain) and Trevor Ariza (sprained ankle). The Hornets are coming off a 104-93 loss at Oklahoma City where Kevin Durant scored 43 points.
The Hornets are allowing just 87.0 PPG and a 43.1 FG Pct. during their six-game home win streak, but the Lakers have shot the ball well against the Hornets this season, combining to shoot 54.4% in their two wins over New Orleans. Lamar Odom has averaged 20.5 PPG while making 60 percent of his FG attempts against them this season. I’m taking Los Angeles minus the points.
The FoxSheets give two more reasons to side with the Lakers:
NEW ORLEANS is 36-57 ATS (38.7%, -26.7 Units) versus good 3-point shooting teams - making >=36% of their attempts over the last 3 seasons. The average score was NEW ORLEANS 95.0, OPPONENT 98.6 - (Rating = 1*).
NEW ORLEANS is 2-12 ATS (14.3%, -11.2 Units) in home games after a game committing 8 or less turnovers over the last 3 seasons. The average score was NEW ORLEANS 93.7, OPPONENT 95.3 - (Rating = 1*).
The FoxSheets also provide a five-star special urging bettors to take the Under.
NEW ORLEANS is 14-1 UNDER (+12.9 Units) after failing to cover 4 or 5 of their last 6 against the spread this season. The average score was NEW ORLEANS 90.1, OPPONENT 92.3 - (Rating = 5*).
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