L.A. Lakers at Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Preview
Opening Line: Lakers +3 / Cavaliers -3 O/U 195
Time: 8 PM EST Thursday January 21, 2010 on TNT
Tonight in what may be a preview of the NBA finals in June the Cleveland Cavaliers host the defending champion L.A. Lakers. The Cavs have won 2 in a row, are 7-3 in their last 10 games, and lead the Chicago Bulls by 12.5 games in the Central Division. The Lakers have won 3 in a row, are also 7-3 in their last 10 games, and lead the Phoenix Suns by 8 games in the Pacific Division.
This season the Cavs are a NBA best 15-3 at home and 20-23 ATS the Lakers are 9-6 and 18-23 ATS.
In their last games the Cavs beat the Toronto Raptors 108-100 on Tuesday night and the Lakers beat the Orlando Magic 98-92 on Monday night.
Sure, this game always has the Kobe vs. King James drawing card and even though both these guys will get their shots the game depends on which supporting cast can step out and help their superstar.
The reason the Lakers won the title last year was that they had a solid supporting cast while the Cavs simply did not.
L.A. has a slew of players that can help Kobe out with Pau Gasol (17 ppg), Ron Artest (11.8 ppg), Andrew Bynum (15.6 ppg), and super 6th man Lamar Odom (9.7 ppg). The Cavs and their 4th ranked defense, which is only giving up an average of 94.6 ppg, has to keep these guys from blowing up on the offensive end of the court.
Shaq (10.7 ppg) has a tall task in this game, as he has to keep Bynum from scoring easy buckets inside and he and LeBron have to keep Bynum, Gasol, and Odom from dominating the boards.
The Lakers may have a little payback in mind, as the Cavs schooled them on Christmas Day in La La Land.
Shaq is still a major inside presence and he is a great passer so the Lakers have to body him up inside and not leave guys open on the perimeter, as the Diesel will find them for open looks from deep.
The Cavs will have to have good scoring games from Mo Williams (16.9 ppg) and Shaq, as last season showed the LeBron (29.6 ppg) can't do it all himself.
L.A. is 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games, 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games, and 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. Cleveland is 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games overall, 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games as a home favorite of 0.5-4.5, and 2-6 ATS in their last 8 home games.
Our Selection : Lakers will have revenge on their mind after getting badly outplayed in Christmas Day blowout. LA has won 3 in a row overall, but are only 9-6 on the road and losers of 3 of their last 4. Take the Cavaliers -3
Future Betting Odds
NBA Handicapping
Orlando Magic at Boston Celtics 5-28
The Magic have won 2 games in a row in this series and look to tie the series tonight, as the Boston Celtics hosts Orlando in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. The Magic have got back in this series and look to become the first team ever in the NBA to come back from a 3-0 deficit. The Celtics are small 3.5 point favorite at Bodog tonight when they try to close out this series at home.