What bettors need to know: Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Lakers
By DAVE CAREY
Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Lakers (-11, 209.5)
Head to head
The Lakers won the season series 2-1, taking both games in Los Angeles by an average of 113 points, including a 125-112 win last week. The Jazz’s lone win was a 113-109 victory in Utah on February 11.
The long road home
Utah (48-34 SU, 39-43 ATS) entered March riding a 12-game winning streak but has gone 7-11 since, seeing its dreams of a top seed go up in smoke.
Nothing seems to be going right for the Jazz, especially away from Salt Lake City.
Utah is an unbelievable 1-20 SU on the road against teams with a winning record and is just 3-16 all-time at the STAPLES Center, including losing nine straight. After the Lakers’ most recent win over the Jazz in Los Angeles last week, Utah coach Jerry Sloan didn’t exactly endorse his team’s effort level and almost seemed defeated before tipoff of today’s game.
"We didn't give them much of a battle and knowing that we're going to have to play them again, it looks pretty bleak," Sloan told reporters. "Hate to say that, but it's one of those things."
Injuries have plagued the Jazz, which lost to the Lakers in six games last year. Guard Deron Williams and forward Carlos Boozer both missed time with various ailments. In all, the Jazz have used 20 different starting lineups this season and missed 147 man-games due to injury.
"I still feel sore and pain," forward Mehmet Okur, who is questionable for Sunday’s game, told reporters. "And it's tight, and we're still going to get treatment and see how I feel before the game."
Los Angeles pressure cooker
Is there pressure for the Lakers (65-17 SU, 43-39 ATS) and star guard Kobe Bryant to deliver the goods this season?
TNT analyst Charles Barkley thinks so, starting with making a statement in Game 1 against Utah.
"If the Lakers do not win a championship this year . . . I don't think they will ever win it," Barkley said. “If LeBron James leads the Cavaliers to the championship, he will become the best player in the NBA. Kobe Bryant is the best player in the NBA, and he has the best team in my opinion. But if the Lakers don't win a championship this year, I don't think they are going to win it."
That’s just the type of pressure the Lakers are feeling as they prepare to open the postseason and their defense of their Western Conference title.
"I've been wearing (a NBA title ring) now from 2002 through two other championship runs that failed and two other playoff attempts that didn't go anywhere," Lakers coach Phil Jackson told reporters. "I was thinking the other day, 'I've got to get rid of that ring.'”
The key for the Lakers will be the play of star Kobe Bryant, who is one of the league’s premier players and averaged 26.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game this season. Bryant has the ability to take over and can top the 50-point mark during any given game. He’s had a relatively mild season compared to those past, as the reigning MVP has relied more on his supporting cast to develop around him.
"There's no 'don'ts,' " Bryant told reporters. "We're going to get it done. We want to try and get the title back to L.A. That's where it belongs anyway."
Can Fisher find a way?
The Lakers likely will eliminate the Jazz in a short series, but the real question is will Los Angeles, and most notably guard Derrick Fisher, be able to stop Utah’s Deron Williams?
Williams (19.4 ppg, 10.7 apg) averaged 22 points, 12 assists and three rebounds in three games against the Lakers this season, proving L.A. won despite not having an answer for one of the top young players in the league.
The former Illinois standout powers the Jazz, which led the NBA in assists (24.7 per game), steals (8.8 per game) and was third in shooting percentage (47.5 percent). If Williams can find a way to bring together a lineup ravaged by injuries, Utah has a chance to become just the fourth eight seed to upset a No. 1 in league history.
"There's not too many that probably would give us a chance and that's fine," Williams told reporters. "We'll take being the underdogs. You definitely use it as motivation," he added. "Every time you turn on the TV, you're going to see a 'Sweep' or a 'Lakers in five, Lakers in six' (prediction). We can use that and turn it around and believe in each other and go out there and get it done."
Trends
Jazz are 2-8 SU and ATS in their past 10 road games
Jazz have hit the over in eight of the past 10 games
Lakers are 9-1 SU in their past 10 home games but just 5-5 ATS
Lakers have hit the over in four of the past five games
PHILADELPHIA (41 - 41) at ORLANDO (59 - 23)
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 9-22 ATS (-15.2 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
ORLANDO is 50-32 ATS (+14.8 Units) in all games this season.
ORLANDO is 38-28 ATS (+7.2 Units) as a favorite this season.
ORLANDO is 50-35 ATS (+11.5 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 21-6 ATS (+14.4 Units) in home games after a division game over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
ORLANDO is 6-4 against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
ORLANDO is 8-2 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI (43 - 39) at ATLANTA (47 - 35)
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 73-89 ATS (-24.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 6-17 ATS (-12.7 Units) off an upset win as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 44-36 ATS (+4.4 Units) in all games this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 8-4 against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 6-6 straight up against MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
9 of 12 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
NEW ORLEANS (49 - 33) at DENVER (54 - 28)
Top Trends for this game.
NEW ORLEANS is 36-45 ATS (-13.5 Units) in all games this season.
NEW ORLEANS is 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) as a road underdog of 6.5 to 9 points over the last 2 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 22-40 ATS (-22.0 Units) in road games after a division game since 1996.
NEW ORLEANS is 12-24 ATS (-14.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
DENVER is 45-36 ATS (+5.4 Units) in all games this season.
DENVER is 63-48 ATS (+10.2 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) on Sunday games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 64-43 ATS (+16.7 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
NEW ORLEANS is 7-4 against the spread versus DENVER over the last 3 seasons
NEW ORLEANS is 6-5 straight up against DENVER over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
UTAH vs. LA LAKERS
Utah is 1-7-1 ATS in their last 9 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers
Utah is 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers
LA Lakers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games at home
LA Lakers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games at home
PHILADELPHIA vs. ORLANDO
Philadelphia is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Orlando
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 6 games when playing on the road against Orlando
Orlando is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Orlando is 17-7 SU in its last 24 games
MIAMI vs. ATLANTA
Miami is 7-2 ATS in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Miami is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Atlanta is 2-5-1 ATS in its last 8 games
Atlanta is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
NEW ORLEANS vs. DENVER
New Orleans is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
New Orleans is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Denver is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games when playing at home against New Orleans
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Denver's last 12 games when playing at home against New Orleans
Utah at LA Lakers
Utah:
10-20 ATS playing with revenge
0-8 ATS Away after a combined score of 215+ points
LA Lakers:
16-4 ATS playing only 2nd game in 7 days
15-6 Over off DD home win
Philadelphia at Orlando
Philadelphia:
7-15 ATS playing with double revenge
23-11 Over Away playing with same season revenge
Orlando:
21-6 ATS at home off divsion game
52-28 Over after allowing 80 points or less
Miami at Atlanta
Miami:
6-17 ATS off SU dog win
12-23 ATS off home win
Atlanta:
9-1 ATS at home off BB Unders
5-1 Over at home vs. Miami
New Orleans at Denver
New Orleans:
12-23 ATS off ATS win
4-13 ATS as a road underdog of 6.5 to 9 points
Denver:
19-5 Under in 1st Round of playoffs
14-5 ATS if road underdog last game
Tips and Trends
Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Lakers
Jazz: The Jazz limped into the eighth and final playoff spot, losing seven of their final nine games. Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur and Deron Williams, their top three scorers, didn’t play together for the first time until Feb. 23 because of injuries. “We’re as ready as we’re going to be,” Boozer said. “Now it’s just time to go play and play smart, but at the same time follow our instincts.” “I think our players will come together and if the effort’s not there, then we don’t have much of a shot,” coach Jerry Sloan said. “If you don’t play hard, it doesn’t make any difference who you’re playing.”
The Jazz are 2-14 ATS in their last 16 games as an underdog.
The Over is 7-0 in the Utah's last 7 road games.
Key Injuries - C Mehmet Okur (hamstring) is QUESTIONABLE.
F C.J. Miles (finger) is QUESTIONABLE.
PROJECTED SCORE: 101
Lakers (-11.5, O/U 210 ): "I notice a little bit more attention to detail, a little bit more focus,” Kobe Bryant said about his team’s playoff mind-set. The Lakers are 16-3 against the Jazz at the Staples Center since the arena opened in 1999 and have won the last six in a row between the teams. Stopping Deron Williams from driving inside will be up to Bynum and Gasol. “It’s really important that our bigs and our wings get back in transition because he loves to penetrate and probe, and really, he’s aggressive with it,” Gasol said. “That will be a huge thing, if we can keep him under control. Because of his size and speed, he’s a dangerous guard.”
The Over is 6-0 in the last 6 meetings.
The Lakers are 8-1 ATS in the last 9 meetings in Los Angeles
Key Injuries - NONE
PROJECTED SCORE: 113 (OVER - Total Play of the Day)
NBA Playoff Research
By Indiancowboy
Philadelphia vs. Orlando
Dalembert is Questionable, Nelson is out of course, "Turkeyglue" is probable and Lewis is Questionable.
Philly for Series: +800
Orlando for Series: -1300
Although Orlando has won the last 3 in this contest, this might be more competitive than people realize. Orlando has played in 6 of 7 Unders including a game vs. the Knicks that suprisingly totaled at 200, to be honest, I don't trust the Magic right now as the Sixers can surprise you (remember, they beat the Lakers on the road Outright). They finished the season horrendously, which means one can argue they've got their worst basketball out of their system, lol, they have played 6 straight overs, but I don't trust either team currently.
Jazz vs. Lakers
Okur is downgraded to doubtful for this game, Miles is probable.
Lakers for Series: -2200 and Jazz for Series: +1500
The last 6 of this series have gone over. The home team has covered each time this year in the matchups (total of 3). Utah has played the over 8 of their last 10 contests. What's shocking is that the oddsmakers continue to make lines of 210 (they did this when denver played L.A. too and the games keep going over, but the lines are not buding and keep staying at 210). I lean on the over. Utah has gone over 8 of their last 10 and the Lakers have gone over in 4 of their last 5.