Utah at LA Lakers
Time: 10:30 PM ET
Line: LAL -3.5
M/L: LAL -165; UTA +145
Total: 196
Betting Odds courtesy of Bovada
The L.A. Lakers had been passably good without legend Kobe Bryant for the first 26 games of the season, going .500, but since that time the team has dropped six straight games to plummet to 13-19 on the season. Its opponent tonight, the Utah Jazz, have had an even rougher going as winners of just 11 of 35 games this season. The problem for the Lakers, though, is the team will not even have its pick in this 2014 draft class. That, combined with Kobe Bryant’s massive contract extension, cripples the team’s chances of improving into a legitimate contender.
Nick Young has embraced the green light he’s been given in Mike D’Antoni’s system and leads the team with 16.5 points per game. His shot selection is questionable and his sanity is as well, but Young has talent.
Pau Gasol has rebounded to have a decent year and Jodie Meeks and Xavier Henry are both decent young talents, but the Lakers are just trying to win enough games to remain relevant when Bryant returns. Kobe shot in practice yesterday for the first time since receiving the fractured knee diagnosis, but his return is likely still a month away.
Utah has a nice collection of young talent with Gordon Hayward leading the way and boasting a 16.4 point per game scoring average. Rookie point guard Trey Burke has gotten off to a nice start in his NBA career and is averaging 13.7 points and five assists per game. Derrick Favors is a strong double-double power forward.
The Jazz are hoping for more improvement from Enes Kanter, though, as the center has struggled some this season. He’s still averaging 10.9 points and six rebounds per game, but he’s been slow on rotations defensively and weak in man-to-man situations, as well. Rudy Gobert is another big body who has barely seen the court, but Gobert was one of the more intriguing physical specimens in the 2013 draft.
Utah Trends: 0-3-1 ATS in last 4 following ATS win; OVER 4-1 in last 5 Friday games; 1-4 ATS in last 5 Friday games.
LA Trends: UNDER 4-0 in last 4 following a SU loss of more than 10 points; UNDER 5-0 in last 5 following ATS loss; UNDER 5-0 in last 5 home games vs teams with road winning percentages under .400
Head-to-head: UNDER 7-3 in last 10 meetings; Jazz 7-15 ATS in last 22 in Los Angeles; OVER 17-8 in last 25 meetings in Los Angeles.
