The banged up Los Angeles Lakers (32-20 SU, 25-27 ATS) take on the Brooklyn Nets (36-16 SU, 25-27 ATS) for the second time this season on Saturday night. The Nets won the first meeting 109-98 as James Harden put up a double-double in the victory.
- Date/Time: April 10, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Stadium: Barclays Center
- TV Coverage: ABC
- Sportsbook Odds: Nets -12.5 | O/U 223 (Line History)
- Lakers vs Nets Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
The game opened with the Nets as favorites at -12.5 and the number can now be found between 11.5 and 12.5 depending on the book. The total opened at 223 and can now be found anywhere between 223.5 and 234 depending on where you look.
Los Angeles News & Notes
The Los Angeles Lakers are 4-6 since losing Lebron James to injury and have dropped to fifth place in the Western Conference as a result. The Lakers are also still without star forward Anthony Davis who has now missed 223 straight games with an Achilles injury.
The team’s numbers have begun to drop off without their two top players as the Lakers now rank 23rd in three-point percentage and 16th in assists per game. The Lakers also now lead the league in turnovers per game with 15.7.
Dennis Schroder has had to step up as the Lake Show is without their two top players. The veteran guard is now averaging 15.1 points per game.
The last time these teams played, James had 32 points in the loss and Kyle Kuzma (16) was the only other player to have more than ten points. Someone else will need to provide the offense in this game.
Brooklyn News & Notes
The Brooklyn Nets should probably be favored by more than they are considering the state of the Lakers right now. However the Nets are not without injury problems of their own as star guard James Harden will miss Saturday’s game with a hamstring injury. Harden lead the Nets in scoring in the only other meeting between these teams this season as he posted 23 points and 11 rebounds in the victory. Harden is 16th in the league in scoring this season, averaging 25.2 points per game. He also leads the league in assists per game with 10.9.
It should come as no surprise that the Nets are one of the best shooting teams in the league. The combination of Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving certainly has help boost the numbers, but the Nets nonetheless rank second in the league in three point percentage, first in field goal percentage and sixth in assists per game.
This team is dominant and built to win now.
Betting Pick: Nets -12.5
The Nets are a much better, and more importantly healthy, team right now. Though the Lakers do still sport some good players, they just don’t have a realistic enough chance with James and Davis to bet on them.
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Buy Sports Picks Now- The total has gone UNDER in 9 of LA Lakers' last 12 games.
- LA Lakers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games against Brooklyn.
- Brooklyn are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games.
