LA Lakers, Suns top NBA's Friday marquee
You know a team is good when the biggest news around the league is that team is 'struggling' through a 6-5 stretch. Such is the current situation Andrew Bynum and his Lakers teammates find themselves in. Los Angeles will attempt to get things turned back around heading into the postseason, though Friday's venue in Phoenix hasn't been a friendly place to play with just four wins in the last 18 trips.
The Dallas Mavericks have won 13 games in a row since the big trade that landed Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood from the Washington Wizards. But how close were the Mavericks to blowing everything up instead?
Owner Mark Cuban told The Dallas Morning News on Wednesday that he was considering trading everyone on his team, except former MVP Dirk Nowitzki.
Cuban’s a smart man, so of course he would consider all his options. But it looks for now like he chose the best one – especially with the top team in the Western Conference looking more and more vulnerable with each passing day. The Mavs might even be an NBA championship bargain at 8-1.
L.A. Lakers at Phoenix Suns (-1, 215)
Friday, 9 p.m. (ET)
Maybe it’s that lousy Smarch weather, but the Lakers (47-18 SU, 27-35-3 ATS) are no longer comfortable atop the Western standings after going 6-5 SU and 2-8-1 ATS in their last 11 games. Even Kobe Bryant knows his team is performing poorly; despite hitting the game-winner in Tuesday’s 109-107 victory over the visiting Toronto Raptors (+11½), Bryant told reporters afterward that the win was “garbage.”
The Lakers are still seven games ahead of the Phoenix Suns (40-25 SU, 37-28 ATS) in the Pacific Division, although the Suns are one of the hottest teams in the league at 14-4 SU and ATS since January 28. That impressive streak was compiled without the services of guard Leandro Barbosa (21.5 points per 40 minutes), who, contrary to earlier reports, will apparently miss Friday’s matchup while his wrist continues healing.
Barbosa’s absence has been mitigated by the improved play of Goran Dragic (17.8 points, 6.1 assists/40). The southpaw is expected to face the Lakers after missing two games with a sprained ankle.
The Suns are 1-point puppies on the early betting odds with a total of 215. That’s the same line as their previous encounter on December 28, when Phoenix won 118-103 in their third matchup of the season.
The home team has taken all three SU and ATS. The Suns will sport a different rotation on Friday with Barbosa out of action and the quickly improving Robin Lopez (17.2 points, 10.1 rebounds/40) taking over for Channing Frye at center. Frye (16.8 points, 7.5 rebounds/40) has also been suspended for this game after getting into an altercation with the Indiana Pacers last Saturday.
Utah Jazz at Oklahoma City Thunder
Sunday, 7 p.m. (ET)
If you go by point differential, the Jazz (42-22 SU, 40-21-3 ATS) are the second-best team in the West:
Oklahoma City (39-24 SU, 38-25 ATS) would be fifth on that list at plus-3.5. But any way you slice it, you’re looking at the two most profitable teams in the conference. Handicappers love their small-market status, their defensive prowess and the quiet stardom of players like Deron Williams (20.0 points, 11.1 assists/40) and Kevin Durant (30.0 points, 7.6 rebounds/40). Durant’s 25.35 Player Efficiency Rating (PER) ranks sixth among all NBA players, and his once-laughable defense has improved immensely under coach Scott Brooks.
Both these clubs are red-hot, as well. Utah has won four in a row SU and ATS, and the 'over' is on an impressive 8-1 tear. Oklahoma City is 6-1 SU and 5-2 ATS in its past seven contests. But there are a couple of factors working against the Thunder in this matchup.
One, they have a substantial home/away split at the pay window, going just 17-14 ATS at the Ford Center compared to 21-11 ATS on the road. Two, stud rookie and sixth-man James Harden (17.3 points, 5.7 rebounds/40) has a bad hamstring and is uncertain for Friday’s game against the New Jersey Nets.
The Thunder have played the Jazz twice this year and won both times, getting to the pay window on the road (+8) and failing at home (-3). Neither side had any injuries of note in those two meetings.
You know a team is good when the biggest news around the league is that team is 'struggling' through a 6-5 stretch. Such is the current situation Andrew Bynum and his Lakers teammates find themselves in. Los Angeles will attempt to get things turned back around heading into the postseason, though Friday's venue in Phoenix hasn't been a friendly place to play with just four wins in the last 18 trips.
The Dallas Mavericks have won 13 games in a row since the big trade that landed Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood from the Washington Wizards. But how close were the Mavericks to blowing everything up instead?
Owner Mark Cuban told The Dallas Morning News on Wednesday that he was considering trading everyone on his team, except former MVP Dirk Nowitzki.
Cuban’s a smart man, so of course he would consider all his options. But it looks for now like he chose the best one – especially with the top team in the Western Conference looking more and more vulnerable with each passing day. The Mavs might even be an NBA championship bargain at 8-1.
L.A. Lakers at Phoenix Suns (-1, 215)
Friday, 9 p.m. (ET)
Maybe it’s that lousy Smarch weather, but the Lakers (47-18 SU, 27-35-3 ATS) are no longer comfortable atop the Western standings after going 6-5 SU and 2-8-1 ATS in their last 11 games. Even Kobe Bryant knows his team is performing poorly; despite hitting the game-winner in Tuesday’s 109-107 victory over the visiting Toronto Raptors (+11½), Bryant told reporters afterward that the win was “garbage.”
The Lakers are still seven games ahead of the Phoenix Suns (40-25 SU, 37-28 ATS) in the Pacific Division, although the Suns are one of the hottest teams in the league at 14-4 SU and ATS since January 28. That impressive streak was compiled without the services of guard Leandro Barbosa (21.5 points per 40 minutes), who, contrary to earlier reports, will apparently miss Friday’s matchup while his wrist continues healing.
Barbosa’s absence has been mitigated by the improved play of Goran Dragic (17.8 points, 6.1 assists/40). The southpaw is expected to face the Lakers after missing two games with a sprained ankle.
The Suns are 1-point puppies on the early betting odds with a total of 215. That’s the same line as their previous encounter on December 28, when Phoenix won 118-103 in their third matchup of the season.
The home team has taken all three SU and ATS. The Suns will sport a different rotation on Friday with Barbosa out of action and the quickly improving Robin Lopez (17.2 points, 10.1 rebounds/40) taking over for Channing Frye at center. Frye (16.8 points, 7.5 rebounds/40) has also been suspended for this game after getting into an altercation with the Indiana Pacers last Saturday.
Utah Jazz at Oklahoma City Thunder
Sunday, 7 p.m. (ET)
If you go by point differential, the Jazz (42-22 SU, 40-21-3 ATS) are the second-best team in the West:
- L.A. Lakers plus-6.0
- Utah Jazz plus-5.5
- Denver Nuggets plus-5.0
Oklahoma City (39-24 SU, 38-25 ATS) would be fifth on that list at plus-3.5. But any way you slice it, you’re looking at the two most profitable teams in the conference. Handicappers love their small-market status, their defensive prowess and the quiet stardom of players like Deron Williams (20.0 points, 11.1 assists/40) and Kevin Durant (30.0 points, 7.6 rebounds/40). Durant’s 25.35 Player Efficiency Rating (PER) ranks sixth among all NBA players, and his once-laughable defense has improved immensely under coach Scott Brooks.
Both these clubs are red-hot, as well. Utah has won four in a row SU and ATS, and the 'over' is on an impressive 8-1 tear. Oklahoma City is 6-1 SU and 5-2 ATS in its past seven contests. But there are a couple of factors working against the Thunder in this matchup.
One, they have a substantial home/away split at the pay window, going just 17-14 ATS at the Ford Center compared to 21-11 ATS on the road. Two, stud rookie and sixth-man James Harden (17.3 points, 5.7 rebounds/40) has a bad hamstring and is uncertain for Friday’s game against the New Jersey Nets.
The Thunder have played the Jazz twice this year and won both times, getting to the pay window on the road (+8) and failing at home (-3). Neither side had any injuries of note in those two meetings.
