After arguably the worst regular-season loss in franchise history (hyperbole alert!), the Los Angeles Lakers and their playoff hopes may be on their last gasp when they “host” the Los Angeles Clippers tonight. The Lake Show are 4-8 SU in 12 games since LeBron returned to the lineup, with one of those wins coming against the Clippers at the end of January.
The Lakers opened as 4.5-point favorites with a total of 237.
Clippers vs Lakers Game Center
STANDOUT STATS
- The Lakers are 4-8 SU and ATS in 12 games since LeBron James returned from injury. In those games, the Lakers have a -8.8 point differential that is 29th in the NBA in that span.
- The Lakers defense has been awful since LeBron’s return by allowing teams to shoot 49 percent from the field (ranked 28th) while giving up 93.7 attempts per game (ranked 26th). As a result, the Lakers have allowed opponents to score 122.6 points per game during that stretch.
- The Clippers are 6-3 SU and 7-2 ATS in nine games since the trade deadline. Their offense is averaging 117.2 points per game in that span (rated sixth) while they rank in the top 10 in both opponent field goals and three-pointers made per contest.
- The OVER has hit in six of the Clippers’ last nine games with an average combined score of 230 points per game. In five of those games when the total closed at 230 or more, the OVER hit in four of them.
- The Lakers are 16-7 SU in 23 home games as a favorite this season but they have been a losing spread bet in that spot at 10-12-1 ATS.
My Best Bet for Clippers vs Lakers
Clippers +4.5
This is a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” type of bet because of the inconsistency of the Lakers. You don’t know which team is going to show up and with their backs against the wall, it makes it extremely difficult to pick against the Lake Show but that’s why they pay me the big bucks! In all seriousness, the Clippers have been performing well since the trade deadline with rookie Landry Shamet providing a great scoring punch to complement the starters and the Clip Show defense has been limiting teams offensively.
I fully acknowledge LeBron James as one of the greatest players of all time but there is just too much data and video evidence that shows the Lakers look checked out. Their defense can’t stop anyone lately and it took a last-minute basket by James to even come out with a win when they “hosted” the Clippers last month. Take the Lakers at your own risk but be prepared to sweat it out because the Lakers haven’t beaten a team handily since LeBron’s return.
