Posted on 1/9/2008 4:59:56 PM

NBA Wagering - Lakers (- 2) vs. Hornets (+ 2)

By D.S. Williamson

What a terrific match-up with two teams who play excellent against the spread each night. Both the Lakers and Hornets are solid, solid against the spread teams.

Here are some trends that point to that fact:

The Los Angeles Lakers are 6 and 2 against the spread in their last 8 road games.

The Los Angeles Lakers are 9 and 6 against the spread in their away games so far this season.

The New Orleans Hornets are 8 and 1 against the spread in their last 9 games overall.

The New Orleans Hornets are 16 and 5 against the spread in their last 21 games against a team from the NBA Pacific Division.

The Lakers were terrific last night on the road. The Hornets were terrific four days ago on the road versus the Phoenix Suns. For the Lakers, this is a tough back-to-back as traveling from Memphis, where they played last night, to New Orleans is not an easy thing to do.

Sure, the flight isn’t long but staying away from Bourbon Street down there in the quarter is tough for anybody to do! Okay, maybe not for super-stud Kobe Bryant, but the rest of the young Lakers might load up on crawfish before this game. That could spell doom.

The truth is that the Hornets are just a solid team and since they are at home they deserve the benefit of the doubt. As good as the Lakers have been playing, this might be one of those games where they stub their toe, like they did two Sunday’s ago versus the Boston Celtics.

I have to go with the Hornets in this one for the simple fact that Chris Paul, the Hornets’ point-guard, is better at his position than anybody on the Lakers’ team. Also, Hornets’ coach Byron Scott, might be auditioning to take over the Lakeshow once Phil Jackson finally calls it quits. Scott is the best motivator in the NBA, the Lakers are playing less than 24 hours after a game in Memphis, and the Hornets are at home.

I like the Hornets to win outright.

The BetUS NBA gambling line is New Orleans Hornets + 2 against the spread at home versus the Los Angeles Lakers.

The New Orleans Hornets should win this game outright.

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