posted May 9, 2008 at 13:28 in NBA Articles
NBA Online Playoff Betting – Jazz Looking To Climb Out Of Hole vs. L.A.
by Eric Williams
BetUS Sportsbook is offering great sports betting NBA action tonight and the Utah Jazz, (58-32 SU, 49-41 ATS, 46-43-1 O/U) posted the best record in the entire NBA during the regular season, going an outstanding 37-4 at EnergySolutions Arena. However, they have been so thoroughly outplayed in dropping the first two games of their second round series against the Los Angeles Lakers, (63-25 SU, 53-33-1 ATS, 42-45 O/U) that it may not matter where these two teams play these days.
The Jazz have been outplayed in each of the first two games, failing to cover the online betting spread on each occasion in the BetUS Sportsbook as the Lakers and league MVP Kobe Bryant pretty much had their way, getting whatever shots they wanted to against a Jazz defense that suddenly looks nonexistent and an offense that has looked shaky at best.
"We've got to stay disciplined. We've got to work harder to get open," Jazz point guard Deron Williams said. "They're trying to deny us and push us farther out than we want to, so we're starting our offense from farther out and it's disrupting us a little bit."
Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan seconded Williams’s statements, saying his team’s offense has been disrupted by the Lakers’ underrated defense.
"They're going to defend us. They're not going to drop off and say, 'OK, we're not going to defend you because we're not in L.A.' That's what made them very good. They're a very good defensive team," Sloan said. "They have a tendency to slow us down and we start walking through what we're doing."
The Jazz will need power forward Carlos Boozer to start playing like the all-star he was during the regular season when he averaged 21 points and 10 rebounds per game.
Boozer scored just 10 points and grabbed five rebounds in Utah’s 120-110 Game 2 loss and is averaging just 15.1 points per game in the playoffs while shooting a dismal 41 percent from the field after draining 54 percent of his shots during the regular season.
"Right now they're packing the lane. That's what I would if I was their team right now. Pack the lane and make us hit jump shots," Boozer said. "We have to knock them down."
The Lakers have yet to lose a game in the playoffs after sweeping the dysfunctional Denver Nuggets in the first round and have 10 consecutive games dating back to the regular season while covering the spread in nine of their last 10 and eight straight.
"We obviously have an advantage. What we did was take care of our home court," said Bryant, who is averaging 36 points in the two games. "Now we've got to try and stop them from taking care of their home court."
The Jazz have covered the spread just once in their last six games.
Here is a look at tonight’s key trends followed by my NBA Wagering Free Picks:
The Lakers are 7-0 ATS in their last seven games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
The Lakers are 6-0 ATS in their last six Conference Semifinals games.
The Jazz are 5-0 ATS in their last five Friday games.
The Jazz are 6-0-1 ATS in their last seven playoff games as a favorite of 0.5-4.5.
The Under is 5-1 in Lakers last six when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
The Under is 4-1 in Jazz last five games as a home favorite of 0.5-4.5.
The Home team is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings.
The Favorite is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
Analysis: The Jazz need this win in the worst way, but I say they won’t get it despite playing at home unless Carlos Boozer can get back to playing the type of ball of did during the regular season. In any event, I say the Lakers cover the spread at the very least, while possibly winning outright.
NBA Free Picks: Lakers +4 Points/Over 215½ Total Points
09:05 PM EST NBA Playoffs Odds
LA Lakers +4 -110
Utah Jazz -4 -110
Over 215½ -110
Under 215½ -110
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