Posted on
4/10/2008 6:28:48 PM
NBA Sportsbook Basketball Betting - LA Lakers at LA Clippers
By Charles Jay
WHO: Los Angeles Lakers (53-25 SU, 43-33-1 ATS) at Los Angeles Clippers (23-55 SU, 33-44 ATS)
WHERE: Staples Center in Los Angeles
WHEN: Thursday, April 10 at 10:30 PM ET
BetUS NBA betting odds: L.A. Lakers -15.5, Total 209
In the HEAD-to-HEAD NBA basketball betting trends:
* LAKERS have won eight of the last ten meetings SU
* LAKERS have covered six of the last eight meetings
* Six of the last nine meetings have gone UNDER the total
* LAKERS have won and covered four of the last five meetings SU as the home team
* LAKERS have had the shooting edge in five of the last six meetings
* CLIPPERS have had the rebounding edge in four of the last six meetings
* LAKERS have made more three-pointers in nine of the last ten meetings
The Lakers have averaged eight three-pointers and eight steals per game. They are shooting 47.6% as a team, which ranks behind only Phoenix and Utah. Also:
* LAKERS have won four of their last five games SU
* LAKERS have covered one of their last seven games
* LAKERS have played four of their last six games OVER the total
* LAKERS have won and covered four of their last five road games SU
The Clippers have turned the ball over 13.8 times a game, about the same amount as the Lakers. They are 29th in the league in scoring, averaging 94 points per contest. And only one team rebounds less than they do (39.9 per outing). Also:
* CLIPPERS have lost 14 of their last 16 games SU
* CLIPPERS have covered one of their last five games
* CLIPPERS have played four of their last five games UNDER the total
* CLIPPERS have lost six of their last seven home games SU
* CLIPPERS have covered one of their last six home games
The Clippers surprise us once in a while by playing well, but they haven't done that against the Lakers this season, dropping decisions of 21, 18 and 37 points. And they're not showing much form lately, losing by 26 to Houston and 18 to Denver, both at home.
Speaking of home, technically this is a "home" game for the Clips, but as you know, there will most likely be a healthy contingent of Laker fans at the Staples Center. The Clippers have now lost 12 of their last 14 home games, and in these last two contests they have been out-rebounded by a 118-87 margin, and even the return of Elton Brand doesn't help that on an overall basis, because center Chris Kaman, who had been one of the NBA's leading rebounders all year, is now done for the season.
Brand, incidentally, is still easing back into things, posting averages of 17.5 points and 6.8 boards since his return. Meanwhile, Pau Gasol, who missed ten games with injury, has come back strong to the Laker fold, delivering three straight 20-point performances.
The Lakers can pretty much this game by whatever margin they want, if they are sufficiently motivated. And why shouldn't they be, since in the tightly-bunched Western Conference (with 2.5 games separating the top five teams), everybody is jockeying for playoff position. We'll lay the points with the Lakers, the 15.5-point favorites in the BetUS NBA basketball betting odds.
JAY'S PLAY: L.A. LAKERS
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(Charles Jay of http://www.eBookies.com is a freelance writer and handicapper who not only can make his shots from the top of the key, but also contributes with gusto to the BetUS Locker Room)