L.A./Utah write up
(8) Utah (1-3, 2-2 ATS) at (1) L.A. Lakers (3-1, 2-2 ATS)
The Lakers return to the Staples Center looking to put the finishing touches on their first-round series against the Jazz, who face a win-or-go-home situation in Game 5.
After suffering a last-second 88-86 loss as a two-point road favorite in Game 3 on Thursday, Los Angeles bounced back with a dominating effort in Game 4 on Saturday, rolling to a 108-94 win as a five-point road chalk. Kobe Bryant led the way with 38 points – 20 more than he had in his team’s Game 3 loss – while Lamar Odom (10 points, 15 rebounds) and Pau Gasol (13 points, 10 boards) contributed double-doubles. The Lakers, who shot 52 percent from the floor Saturday, took control by outscoring the Jazz 68-44 in the second and third quarters.
Los Angeles has now won 10 of its last 12 games overall, but is just 7-5 ATS during this stretch. Additionally, Phil Jackson’s squad is riding an eight-game home winning streak and is 15-1 in its last 16 at Staples Center, but only 8-8 ATS.
Utah once again got stellar performances from point guard Deron Williams (23 points, 13 assists) and power forward Carlos Boozer (23 points, 16 rebounds) in Game 4, but it wasn’t enough to avoid the team’s fourth loss in its last five games, all against the Lakers. The Jazz are just 2-7 SU and 3-6 ATS in their last nine contests overall, including five straight losses on the road (1-4 ATS). Stretching back even further, Jerry Sloan’s squad is in slumps of 3-10 SU and 6-16 ATS.
By winning Game 4 in Salt Lake City, the Lakers ended a six-game winning streak by the home team in this rivalry (all coming this season). Still, the host has taken 11 of the last 13 head-to-head battles and is 15-6-1 ATS in the last 22 series clashes. Overall, going back to Game 5 of last year’s playoff series between these squads, Los Angeles is 7-2 SU (5-4 ATS) against the Jazz and it has defeated Utah 11 straight times at Staples Center (9-2 ATS). Finally, the favorite has gotten the money in five of the last seven meetings.
For the season, the Lakers are 38-5 in their building but just 21-22 ATS. The Jazz are 15-28 on the road (18-25 ATS), including 1-14 SU and 3-12 ATS in 15 road games against Western Conference playoff teams.
Utah is still on ATS surges of 10-5 in first-round playoff games, 10-4 when coming off a double-digit home loss and 19-7 on Monday. After that, though, the pointspread trends are all negative, including 4-12 overall, 1-4 on the road, 5-16 as an underdog, 2-14 as a road pup, 4-11 against the Western Conference and 4-14 against teams with a winning record.
Games 3 and 4 in Salt Lake stayed under the total, snapping a string of eight consecutive “overs” in this rivalry. Still, the over is 19-8 in the last 27 series clashes and 12-2 in the last 14 meetings in Los Angeles (5-0 in the last five).
Additionally, as it pertains to the total, Utah remains on “over” runs of 10-4 overall, 9-0 on the road 8-2 against winning teams, 9-4 versus the Western Conference, 35-19 versus the Pacific Division, 20-6-1 as an underdog and 5-2 on Monday. Finally, the Lakers’ “over” streaks include 6-3 overall, 4-1 at home, 5-2 against the Northwest Division, 8-2 versus teams with a winning record, 6-1 after a SU win and 5-0 after an ATS triumph.
ATS ADVANTAGE: L.A. LAKERS and OVER
The Lakers return to the Staples Center looking to put the finishing touches on their first-round series against the Jazz, who face a win-or-go-home situation in Game 5.
After suffering a last-second 88-86 loss as a two-point road favorite in Game 3 on Thursday, Los Angeles bounced back with a dominating effort in Game 4 on Saturday, rolling to a 108-94 win as a five-point road chalk. Kobe Bryant led the way with 38 points – 20 more than he had in his team’s Game 3 loss – while Lamar Odom (10 points, 15 rebounds) and Pau Gasol (13 points, 10 boards) contributed double-doubles. The Lakers, who shot 52 percent from the floor Saturday, took control by outscoring the Jazz 68-44 in the second and third quarters.
Los Angeles has now won 10 of its last 12 games overall, but is just 7-5 ATS during this stretch. Additionally, Phil Jackson’s squad is riding an eight-game home winning streak and is 15-1 in its last 16 at Staples Center, but only 8-8 ATS.
Utah once again got stellar performances from point guard Deron Williams (23 points, 13 assists) and power forward Carlos Boozer (23 points, 16 rebounds) in Game 4, but it wasn’t enough to avoid the team’s fourth loss in its last five games, all against the Lakers. The Jazz are just 2-7 SU and 3-6 ATS in their last nine contests overall, including five straight losses on the road (1-4 ATS). Stretching back even further, Jerry Sloan’s squad is in slumps of 3-10 SU and 6-16 ATS.
By winning Game 4 in Salt Lake City, the Lakers ended a six-game winning streak by the home team in this rivalry (all coming this season). Still, the host has taken 11 of the last 13 head-to-head battles and is 15-6-1 ATS in the last 22 series clashes. Overall, going back to Game 5 of last year’s playoff series between these squads, Los Angeles is 7-2 SU (5-4 ATS) against the Jazz and it has defeated Utah 11 straight times at Staples Center (9-2 ATS). Finally, the favorite has gotten the money in five of the last seven meetings.
For the season, the Lakers are 38-5 in their building but just 21-22 ATS. The Jazz are 15-28 on the road (18-25 ATS), including 1-14 SU and 3-12 ATS in 15 road games against Western Conference playoff teams.
Utah is still on ATS surges of 10-5 in first-round playoff games, 10-4 when coming off a double-digit home loss and 19-7 on Monday. After that, though, the pointspread trends are all negative, including 4-12 overall, 1-4 on the road, 5-16 as an underdog, 2-14 as a road pup, 4-11 against the Western Conference and 4-14 against teams with a winning record.
Games 3 and 4 in Salt Lake stayed under the total, snapping a string of eight consecutive “overs” in this rivalry. Still, the over is 19-8 in the last 27 series clashes and 12-2 in the last 14 meetings in Los Angeles (5-0 in the last five).
Additionally, as it pertains to the total, Utah remains on “over” runs of 10-4 overall, 9-0 on the road 8-2 against winning teams, 9-4 versus the Western Conference, 35-19 versus the Pacific Division, 20-6-1 as an underdog and 5-2 on Monday. Finally, the Lakers’ “over” streaks include 6-3 overall, 4-1 at home, 5-2 against the Northwest Division, 8-2 versus teams with a winning record, 6-1 after a SU win and 5-0 after an ATS triumph.
ATS ADVANTAGE: L.A. LAKERS and OVER