Saturday's Best NBA Bet
Oklahoma City Thunder at Utah Jazz (N/A)
Opponents are struggling to find a way to slow down Kevin Durant...and don’t expect the Jazz to have any answers. Durant has topped 28 points in each of the past nine meetings with Utah, including a 30-point, six-rebound and four-assist performance in a 115-108 win on Nov. 15.
"That's why he's probably MVP of the league right now. You're putting a string of games together like that, you put yourself in a different class," said New Orleans coach Monty Williams, whose Hornets saw Durant light them up for 43 points in a recent loss. "He made one shot tonight, he was standing where I was. When you're playing with that kind of confidence ... he's not just a special player, he's becoming a standard for that position."
And even if Durant has a rare off night for the Thunder, it will be up to a shaky Jazz backcourt to shut down stud combo-guard Russell Westbrook. The third-year player out of UCLA is averaging 22.4 points, 8.5 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game.
Utah guard Earl Watson – who was playing less than 16 minutes per game before an injury to starter Deron Williams – must help to slow down Westbrook if Williams can’t go. Williams, who has been out of action with a sprained wrist tendon, planned to play on Friday against the Nuggets, but his availability on a back-to-back is unknown.
Pick: Thunder
NBA Betting Preview: Worried Lakers in New Orleans
By: Michael Robinson
It’s officially worry time for the Los Angeles Lakers and they begin a seven-game road trip Saturday night at the New Orleans Hornets who have major injury questions for this contest.
Los Angeles still has the second-best record in the Western Conference at 34-16 straight-up (21-28-1 against the spread), but is playing nothing like two-time defending champions.
Coach Phil Jackson’s team just had a five-game homestand. It started with a win and ‘cover’ over Utah (120-91), but finished at 1-3 SU and 0-4 ATS. The one win came in overtime against Houston (114-106 as 8½-point favorites).
The latest indignity was Thursday night against San Antonio. Los Angeles was favored by three-points, but lost 89-88 after a tip-in at the buzzer by 36-year-old veteran Antonio McDyess.
Kobe Bryant scored just 16 points (5-of-18 from the field) and the Lakers don’t have enough other guys producing to win when he struggles. L.A. would have been held under 100 points the last four games if not for the OT period versus Houston.
Equally troubling for the Lakers is their inability to step up in big games. Conference-leading San Antonio (41-8 SU) already beat them down once this year (97-82) in Texas, but L.A. couldn’t even respond on its own floor. That wouldn’t have happened in prior years.
Los Angeles is 0-4 SU and ATS combined against San Antonio, Boston and Miami, the three best teams in the league. Three of those games were in Staples Center, including Boston this past Sunday (109-96 loss as three-point ‘chalk’).
The Lakers start a seven-game trip that will go until the All-Star break. Both Boston and Orlando are on the docket. They’re 15-8 SU and 11-11-1 ATS on the road this year. The ‘under’ is 13-6 in L.A.’s last 19 road games.
Center Andrew Bynum (knee) will be available for the trip. He missed the Houston game before returning against San Antonio (10 points and 10 rebounds). Reserve forward Matt Barnes (knee) is out until after the break.
New Orleans (32-19 SU, 26-24-1 ATS) had a recent 10-game winning streak (7-3 ATS), but hit a speed bump at 1-3 SU and 0-4 ATS in its last four games. The losses were all away at Sacramento (102-96), Phoenix (104-102) and Oklahoma City (104-93).
The Oklahoma City game was last Wednesday and Kevin Durant led all scorers with 43 points. New Orleans center Emeka Okafor (oblique) missed his second consecutive contest, with Jason Smith (six points) starting in his place. Little used David Andersen also played 14 minutes off the bench (13 points).
Small forward Trevor Ariza also sprained his ankle last game and he’s out Saturday in addition to Okafor. Point guard Chris Paul is probable with an ankle injury of his own.
The Hornets have been great at home this year at 20-5 SU (13-12 ATS). However, they’ve relied heavily on their starters all season with all five scoring in double-digits. Now guys like Smith and rookie Quincy Pondexter will have to start. That makes an already weak bench even weaker.
New Orleans is 26th in the league in scoring (94.8 PPG) and second in points allowed (91.9 PPG). It’s the biggest ‘under’ team in the NBA at 34-17, going 16-9 at home.
Los Angeles is 2-0 SU and 1-1 ATS against New Orleans this year. The game in New Orleans was on Dec. 29 with the Lakers winning 103-88 as three-point favorites. New Orleans lost the game in L.A. (101-97) on January 7, but covered the 7½-points.
Both games went ‘over’ the total and the ‘over’ is 4-0 in the last four meetings overall. The road team is 8-2 ATS in the last 10.
Tip-off from New Orleans Arena will be at 5 p.m. (PT) and broadcast locally.