NBA Handicapping Predictions – Lakers vs Magic
Both the Lakers (19-13) and the Mavs (21-12) did not start the season well, but each has gotten back on track. The Lakers beat the Mavs earlier this season in La La Land, but this season they have struggled on the road going 5-11.
Venue/ Stadium: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
Time/Date: 9:30 PM EST Wednesday, February 22, 2012
NCAA Odds From: Bovada
Moneyline: Lakers +180 / Mavs -220
Spread (ATS): Mavs -5
Over/Under: 180
L.A. Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks Preview
NBA lines have the Mavs as 5-point home favorites with a total of 180.
In their last games the Mavs beat the Boston Celtics 89-73 and the Lakers beat the Portland Trailblazers 103-92.
This season the Mavs are 20-13 ATS with an O/U record of 13-20 and the Lakers are 15-17 ATS with an O/U record of 14-17-1.
The Lakers are only 1-6 on the road this season facing teams that are at .500 or better. However, the Lakers had a players only meeting before ripping Portland and something tells me they are about to turn the corner and start playing like the legit title contender they are. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Kobe Bryant and company will have to deal with a red-hot Dallas defense that ranks 4th in the league and in their 4-game home winning streak has held opponents to 85.8 ppg on 38.9% shooting.
The Mavs are playing great D even though they lost Tyson Chandler in the off season, but they will be tested by Bryant, who leads the league in scoring, and the frontcourt duo of Andrew Bynum (16 .3 ppg 12.8 rpg) and Pau Gasol (16.6 ppg 10.7 rpg).
Dirk Nowitzki has been playing great as of late and Jason Terry has torched the Lakers at home in the last several games. They will have to play well in this game and the Lakers also have a good defense ranking 6th in the league in opponents’ points allowed.
The Lakers are the top rebounding team in the league and the Mavs have to keep Gasol and Bynum from dominating the glass, especially on the offensive end of the court.
In some betting trends for this big Western Conference match up the Lakers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 road games, 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games as a road underdog, and they have an Over record of 4-1 in their last 5 games.
The Mavs are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record, 11-5 ATS in their last 16 home games, and they have an Under record of 5-1 in their last 6 games.
Jason’s Pick: The Lakers ATS record be damned, as I think they will come out and play a great game and not only cover the 5-point spread, but win the game as well.
