Why are Lakers 7 pt dogs tonight?

[Dark Horse]

Are we expecting a letdown so early in the season? Are they terrible without rest? I know last night was only one game, but they did look pretty sharp, so giving up 7 pts to Golden State has me

[Jay Edgar]

Because Phil is not travelling with them?

Because conventional wisdom is that GS is much improved with Nellie?

I'm also

Line seemed to open in that neighborhood -- not as if it has been driven up there during the day.

[sjelveh]

fading a team in the first 6 weeks of the season playing back to back against a home team with a day of rest is something like 60% or more in the last 4 or 5 years. herad that somewhere have no idea is true.

[Dark Horse]

Maybe it's because GS went 5-1 in preseason?

Lakers took all four games from GS last year.

I would be all over this, but I have to know what I'm missing first, because that could have a lot of bite.

[Dark Horse]

This could be it.

In first game without star player (Kobe) teams steps up and performs way beyond expectation. (To illustrate in an exaggerated sense, a mother can lift up a car if her child is below it.)

In the second game without the star player the initial impulse has worn off. The unexpected good result in the first game now makes the team overestimate itself. The team performs as expected before the first game...

This is pretty common. So does it apply?

[Jay Edgar]

I'd think Bynum could lift the car -- at least a compact like GS -- on a second consecutive night.

He's a beast, or at least the Suns made him look like one.

But it is a headscratcher -- even at Wagerline only 54% like the Lakers.

Are we overthinking or underthinking -- that's the question.

I'm going to go back to the Church of Just Cap The Games, Dummy, until the answer emerges.

[Dark Horse]

Love where this line is going. Looks like 7.5 is the next station.

[Illusion]

Not exactly sure myself but I jumped on the Warriors -6.5 earlier.

[moses millsap]

Lakers backers should feel very warm and fuzzy when Mike Dunleavy is on the court. He's proven again, quite simply, that he SUCKS, yet every time I look at the screen, there he is, bricking a wide open jumper or picking up some sissy touch foul.

[hanco21]

I think one reason is back to back night against running teams. Plus its early in the year and players aren't as fit as they like right now. I am personally on the Lakers tonight but I bet this is good reason why the number is that high.

[moses millsap]

Fade the Warriors. For the rest of your life.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Illusion]

It seems like every year this team is favored early in the season and every year I bite and get burned. GS has and will always be terrible.

[isetcap]

Owned just wants everybody to fade them so that he can always get a good price for their side.

[bigboydan]

Owned just wants everybody to fade them so that he can always get a good price for their side.

Thats owned alright

[hanco21]

Bet Seattle Fri in LA. Seattle will be a nice dog play.