Thank God it’s Friday and thank God for great basketball action. Sports fans are in for a treat tonight as the NBA has served up a pair of blockbuster games that will definitely be worth all your attention. Kicking things off tonight is the much-anticipated showdown between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Philadelphia 76ers.
Then, the Dallas Mavericks square off with the Utah Jazz in a fascinating Western Conference matchup. Read on below for a quick breakdown of these two games and while you’re at it, you can check out our other previews of Charlotte vs. Boston and LA Clippers vs. Miami.
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All good things must come to an end. The Philadelphia 76ers had their two-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday with a stinging 123-114 loss to the Toronto Raptors. The Sixers simply had no answer for DeMar DeRozan who recorded yet another 30-point outing. The Sixers are still looking for their first three-game winning streak since taking four in a row from December 29, 2013 to January 4, 2014.
Brett Brown’s men will look to return to the win column when they lock horns with the reeling Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers are in the midst of a eight-game losing skid, punctuated by a 107-97 defeat to the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday. Lou Williams scored 16 points for the stumbling Lakers, who have fallen from a .500 team early in Luke Walton’s first season as head coach to one that is now 10-18. They shot horribly in that contest, nailing just 38.5 percent of their field goals and 61.8 percent of their free throw attempts.
The Lakers are 7-3 SU and ATS in their last 10 road games against the Sixers.
The Utah Jazz stormed to the top of the Northwest Division standings with a comprehensive 109-89 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder Wednesday night. Rodney Hood scored 25 points in his return for the Jazz, who have now won five of their last six games. Key to the Jazz’s resurgence has been their excellent play on the defensive end.
They are tops in the NBA in scoring defense, allowing just 95.2 points per game this campaign. The Jazz displayed that defensive prowess in the win against OKC, limiting the Thunder to 36.6 percent shooting from the field. They will look to keep the streak going when they face the Dallas Mavericks tonight. Utah thrashed Dallas, 97-81, in their last encounter on November 2. The Mavericks are fresh off a 95-85 loss to the Detroit Pistons. They’re languishing at the bottom of the Southwest Division with a woeful 6-19 slate.
The Mavs are 6-4 ATS in their last 10 road games against the Jazz.
