Game of the Day: Thunder at Lakers
By Covers.com
Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Lakers (+11.5, 206.5)
The Los Angeles Lakers will attempt to avoid being saddled with the longest home losing streak in franchise history when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday. The Lakers lost to the Utah Jazz on Tuesday for their sixth straight home loss, equaling a dismal stretch from the 1992-93 season. Oklahoma City owns the best record in the Western Conference and has been soaring with 14 victories in its last 16 games.
Thunder star Kevin Durant has recorded 32 30-point games this season and the latest effort was a 36-point outing in Tuesday’s victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. Durant has picked us his scoring prowess even more than usual with point guard Russell Westbrook (knee) out and he continues to lead the NBA with a 31.2 scoring average. The injury riddled Lakers will be without point guard Steve Nash (back, hamstring) and second-leading scorer Nick Young (knee) but point guard Steve Blake (elbow) is expected to play.
LINE HISTORY: Oklahoma City opened -11 and was bet up to -11.5. The total opened 207 and dropped to 206.5.
COVERS POWER RANKINGS: Thunder (-14.5) - Lakers (+1.0) + Home Court (-3.0) = Thunder -12.5
INJURY WATCH: Thunder - Russell Westbrook (Out - knee). Lakers - Steve Blake (Prob. - arm), Xavier Henry (Out - knee), Pau Gasol (Out - groin), Steve Nash (Out - leg), Nick Young (Out - knee), Kobe Bryant (Out - knee)
WHAT BOOKS SAY: "From our standpoiint, the love is gone with the lakers. People used to play them regardless and now, depedning on the line, you wont get a bet at all. There is no public love with the lakers. No loyalty. Durant has caught that public interest for OKC, even more so than the Heat because you don't know who the Heat are going to start from one night to the next. The thunder are by far the most popular play right now." - Steve Mikkelson, sportsbook manager Atlantis Reno.
WHAT SHARPS SAY: "Five of the (Lakers') top six scorers sat out Tuesday vs. the Jazz, their record-tying sixth straight at home. The sixth, Pau Gasol, is still rumored to be dealt. This is easily the worst team out West." - Covers Expert Bryan Power.
ABOUT THE THUNDER (42-12 SU, 32-22 ATS, 27-27 O/U): Few people thought Oklahoma City could sail into the All-Star break with the best record in the West with Westbrook out but that is indeed the case. “We’re a resilient team,” Durant said after the win over Portland. “We’ve kept our heads up through adversity and tough times. That’s just how we are as an organization.” Guard Reggie Jackson (13.6) has expanded his game with Westbrook out and reserve Jeremy Lamb (10 points per game) has added scoring punch off the bench.
ABOUT THE LAKERS (18-34 SU, 27-24-1 ATS, 28-24 O/U): Nash’s injury issues have started a clamor in which observers and fans are calling on him to retire. The 40-year-old Nash is under contract for next season and he told reporters on Wednesday that he isn’t paying any attention to the opinions about his future. “I’m kind of oblivious to the noise,” Nash said. “I think after 18 years, you’re not really as affected by it anyways. I didn’t pound my chest when people told me I was great for a long time in my career and I’m not going to let it affect me when people think that I should look at myself in the mirror.”
TRENDS:
* Over is 6-2 in the last eight meetings.
* Thunder are 5-2-1 ATS in the last eight meetings.
* Lakers are 2-5 ATS in their last seven vs. Western Conference.
* Thunder are 7-2 ATS in their last nine road games.
COVERS CONSENSUS: 61 percent of bets are on the Thunder (-11.5) and 65 percent are on the Over 206.5
Thursday's NBA TNT Doubleheader Betting News and Notes
By Brian Covert
By Covers.com
Before the NBA pauses for the All-Star Weekend, close out the first half of the season with a bang. Here are some handy betting news and notes for Thursday's doubleheader action - Brooklyn at Chicago, and Oklahoma City at Los Angeles.
Brooklyn Nets at Chicago Bulls (-4, 182.5)
The Nets rested Kevin Garnett on the second game of a back-to-back earlier this week and were promptly destroyed by the Detroit Pistons, 111-95 Saturday night. “We can’t use it as an excuse that we didn’t have KG out there,” said forward Paul Pierce.” We have to be ready from the jump. We have to be ready to play.” Brooklyn hosted the Charlotte Bobcats Wednesday.
Brooklyn’s bench has carried it in its last three games before Charlotte. This includes Monday’s 93-81 win over New Orleans in which Mason Plumlee, Alan Anderson, and Mirza Teletovic accounted for over half the Nets’ points. No Brooklyn starter has scored over 20 points during this three-game span.
With a win over the Nets Thursday, the Chicago Bulls could climb as high as the third seed in the Eastern Conference. ‘‘We’re not satisfied with being .500,’’ center Joakim Noah told reporters. ‘‘Our whole mentality is just playing with an edge, playing [with] more of an edge than the other team.’’
Power forward Carlos Boozer missed his second game in a row with a calf injury forcing coach Tom Thibodeau to shorten his bench to just eight players in the rotation. Taj Gibson has thrived in Boozer’s absence averaging over 22 points and 10 rebounds per game while the team has gone 2-1 SU and ATS without the former Duke Blue Devil in the lineup. Boozer is expected to return Thursday night.
Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Lakers (+11.5, 205.5)
Kevin Durant was seen icing his hip early in the Thunder’s win over Portland but the MVP candidate stayed in the game, as OKC opened up a four game lead over the Trail Blazers atop the Western Conference with the win. Durant did sit out a victory over the Boston Celtics in late January to, reportedly, nurse a sore shoulder.
The Thunder were an impressive 7 for 14 from behind the 3-point line versus Portland, continuing a marked improvement from November when they were hitting just over 31 percent from downtown.
Lakers point guard Steve Nash doesn’t expect to play Thursday after leaving L.A.’s last game with nerve issues. Nash’s absence left the Lakers with too few players to practice Wednesday, so instead they had a shootaround and video session.
The Lakers are currently on a six-game SU home losing streak, the first time this has happened since the 1992-93 season. "It's just frustrating, you know," center Chris Kaman told reporters. "Obviously everybody knows we want to win. It's not like we're out here trying to chase (draft) picks. It's not what we're doing at all, I promise.”
Thursday's NBA Tips
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com
Nets at Bulls
Brooklyn: 24-26 SU, 25-25 ATS
Chicago: 26-25 SU, 24-27 ATS
The Nets head to the Windy City with no rest following last night's rout of the Bobcats, 105-89 to easily cash as 7½-point home favorites. Brooklyn has won four of its past five games, with all four victories coming at the Barclays Center, as the Nets have allowed 89 points or less in three of their past four games overall. Jason Kidd's team is playing with plenty of revenge against a Bulls' squad that eliminated Brooklyn in last season's playoffs.
The Bulls have dominated the Nets in each of their last two meetings, which came seven months apart. Chicago knocked Brooklyn out of the first round of the playoffs with an impressive 99-93 triumph as seven-point road underdogs in Game 7, playing without several key players. The Bulls pulled off the trick again on Christmas Day, dispatching the Nets, 95-78 to cash outright as four-point 'dogs at Barclays Center.
Chicago has come back to life recently following a 29-point setback at Sacramento, as the Bulls have won three of their last four games. The last two victories came without Carlos Boozer, who is listed as questionable after missing three games with a calf injury. On Tuesday, the Bulls ripped up the Hawks, 100-85 to cover as 1½-point home favorites, as Tom Thibodeau's club grabbed a 16-point lead after one quarter and never looked back.
The Nets have struggled on the highway with a 7-15 mark, while losing six of the last eight road games in the underdog role. However, Brooklyn has covered three of its past five as a road 'dog, including covers at Indiana and Oklahoma City in this stretch. The Nets aren't a great team to back with no rest, losing nine of 11 times on the second part of a back-to-back. Chicago has thrived recently against unrested foes, winning seven straight in this situation.
Thunder at Lakers
Oklahoma City: 42-12 SU, 32-22 ATS
Los Angeles: 18-34 SU, 27-24-1 ATS
The Lakers finish up their disastrous first half of the season tonight, hosting the top team in the Western Conference. Los Angeles is coming off consecutive home losses to Chicago and Utah, punctuated by an ugly 96-79 defeat to the Jazz on Tuesday. How bad have the Lakers been at Staples Center recently? Mike D'Antoni's team has lost six straight and nine of 10 at home, dating back to mid-December, while covering only twice in underdog losses to the Cavaliers and Heat.
The Thunder is coming off a huge comeback victory over division rival Portland, 98-95 to win their 19th road game in 28 tries. Oklahoma City has lost two of its last three on the road, falling to under .500 foes Washington and Orlando, so this Thunder team has lost some focus on the highway against inferior competition of late. However, Scott Brooks' club is rolling right now with victories in 14 of the past 16 games, including 12 covers in this span.
The last time the Lakers and Thunder met up at Chesapeake Energy Arena in mid-December, Oklahoma City routed Los Angeles, 122-97. The Thunder easily cashed as 12½-point favorites, as Kobe Bryant was limited to four points in that loss for the Lakers, while Jeremy Lamb and Reggie Jackson combined to score 30 points off the Thunder bench. OKC has taken four of the past five regular season matchups, but the Lakers won the past meeting at Staples Center last January, 105-96.