The long season for the Los Angeles Lakers just keeps on getting even more disappointing. The Lakers added yet another defeat to their ugly record after losing to the Portland Trail Blazers Monday night. The Clippers, on the other hand, are also coming off a loss, falling victim to the streaking Atlanta Hawks.
For more NBA game breakdowns, you can check out our Rockets vs. Cavs preview here.
[sc:NBAArticles ]Los Angeles Lakers vs. Los Angeles Clippers Betting Preview
Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles
When: Wednesday, January 7, 2014, 10:30 PM ET
Line: Los Angeles Lakers (+10.5) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (-10.5); total 215.0 – view all NBA lines
Betting on the Los Angeles Lakers
There’s only so much the Lakers could do with guys named Ryan Kelly, Wayne Ellington, and Ed Davis in the starting lineup against the red-hot Portland Trail Blazers Monday night. With Kobe Bryant taking a game off to rest, Los Angeles fell to the Blazers, 98-94 to mark the Lakers’ eighth loss in 11 games.
[sc:NBA240banner ]The Lakers entered the ball game tenth in scoring with 102.2 PPG, but the absence of Bryant and Wesley Johnson (hip) meant that the team would likely suffer a dip in their offense. Kelly was utterly ineffective against the Blazers, scoring only two points in 26 minutes. Ellington did better, finishing with 13 points. Davis, meanwhile, chipped in just four points.
Jordan Hill did the heavy lifting on offense as he put up a double-double performance of 23 points and 14 rebounds. Hill’s solid game against Portland serves as a good springboard when the Lakers take on the Clippers for the second time this season. In the first meeting with the Clips, Hill finished with 23 points on 10-for-15 shooting from the field.
Well rested, expect Bryant to be back on the floor against the Clippers. Bryant is the Lakers top scoring threat (23.6 PPG) followed by sixth-man Nick Young (14.8 PPG). Young scored 11 points coming off the bench against Portland.
The Lakers are 4-1 ATS in their last five games as the road team.
Create a betting account now and see if you can pick the right Los Angeles team in this matchup.
Betting on the Los Angeles Clippers
After three-straight wins against sub-.500 teams, the Clippers finally saw their win streak hit a snag.
The Clippers had their first loss of the year as they took a 107-98 defeat against the high-flying Atlanta Hawks Monday. The team will have a good shot at returning to the win column on Wednesday, when they take on the struggling Los Angeles Lakers at home.
In their first meeting with the Lakers earlier this season, the Clips fed the Lakers a steady diet of three-pointers on their way to a 118-111 victory on October 31. The Clippers took full advantage of the Lakers’ lousy perimeter defense as they knocked down 12 triples out of 33 attempts. The Lakers are allowing opponents to knock down 8.9 treys per game. This kind of lax defense plays right into the Clippers’ high-scoring offense that averages 106.5 PPG and produces an astounding 10.3 three-pointers made per game.
No Clipper had a bigger game that night against the Lakers than Blake Griffin. Griffin embarrassed every Laker defender assigned to him as he scored 39 points (13-for-23 FG) and grabbed seven boards. Griffin will enter the game against the Lakers this Wednesday averaging 22.4 PPG. Griffin scored 26 points in the loss to the Hawks.
The Clippers are 9-1 SU in their last 10 home games. They’re also 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games against the Lakers when they are assigned as the home team.
Writer’s Prediction
The Clippers win, 115-104.
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