NBA Betting? Lakers vs Blazers Predictions
NBA betting action sees the Los Angeles Lakers taking on the Portland Trail Blazers taking on the on Monday, Jan. 5 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Okla. Cappers Picks provides free NBA handicapping tips all season long.
2015 NBA Picks
Los Angeles (10-23) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (26-8)
Monday, Jan. 5
10:00 p.m. ET
Moda Center
TV: Local
NBA Betting Lines: Portland -12
NBA Betting Total: 211
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Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are no longer from Tinseltown; they’re from Struggletown.
At the time of publication, this team is down 28-15 in the first quarter against the struggling Indiana Pacers. At the same time, the team has a 10-23 record and is the second-worst team in the Western Conference.
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Although this team is clearly struggling, there’s been evidence that fewer minutes for Kobe Bryant are actually helping this team stay competitive. Then again, Bryant is the one who recorded 23, 11 and 11 in an 111-103 win against the Denver Nuggets on Dec. 30.
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Against Portland, the objective will be to force turnovers. We recently saw the Trail Blazers lose just their second game all year against an Eastern Conference opponent, and the reason was a plethora of turnovers against the team with the best record out East.
Portland Trail Blazers
Against the Atlanta Hawks, the Blazers turned the ball over 18 times. Fortunately, they’re set to go up against a Lakers squad that is just 17th in terms of forcing turnovers.
Unfortunately for the Blazers, they’re without Joel Freeland for the next two weeks — the most consistent big man to step up in Robin Lopez’s absence.
Assuming Nicolas Batum and LaMarcus Aldridge are healthy, one of the major storylines will focus on Meyers Leonard and Thomas Robinson. More specifically, this one will focus on who steps up in the absence of the two big men.
As long as the Blazers avoid mistakes, this game should be theirs for the taking.
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The point spread hasn’t been set at the time of this publication, but a double-digit win should be in order.
NBA Handicapping Trends:
* LAL are 4-14 ATS in their last 18 Mon. games.
* Over is 21-9 in LAL last 30 vs. NBA Northwest.
* Under is 7-3 in LAL last 10 road games.
* Under is 13-6 in POR last 19 home games.
* Over is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings.
* Over is 9-3 in the last 12 meetings in Portland.
4* NBA Prediction: Portland 113 – Lakers 98
Expect a big win for the Blazers. The Lakers don’t have the defense to challenge Portland’s offense, or the offensive attack to threaten the Blazers’ defense.
Expect a lopsided victory for Portland against one of the NBA’s worst teams throughout the early part of the 2014-15 season.
Play Portland ATS
Check out our Updated NBA Betting Odds.
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